Delta to time limit stays in lounges.

Delta to time limit stays in lounges.

 

In a bid to combat overcrowding at its airside executive lounges, the U.S. mega-carrier Delta is to limit the amount of time full fare-paying frequent flyers can spend in there.

Now the carrier is indicating that you can not enter the lounge for any earlier than three hours before your flight,  no matter where you are going.   The firm is installing boarding pass reader machines at the entrance to lounges to halt anyone trying to gain early entry to the converted spaces.

Delta says the measure is to stop overcrowding in the SkyClub lounges, and is less than their original plan of also denying customers to option to use the lounges at their arrival airport as well.

Many regular passengers have said that as Delta makes its lounges more special,  adding extra, over-the-top options, it makes them way more attractive to new passengers.  Others have said the new policy will have a detrimental effect on the full fare-paying passengers as it won't solve the overcrowding and will penalise them if their flights are delayed, rescheduled or have a long lay-over.  Others have pointed out that by allowing holders of certain credit and charge cards access to the lounges they have effectively trebled the number of users thereby directly contributing to overcrowding, thereby rewarding non-Delta customers whilst disadvantaging the most loyal Delta members. 

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