After telling a passenger that she could not take a banana with her, a Delta lounge agent technically just doing her job has prompted a rather humorous mass revolt.
Reprimanded For Taking Banana From Delta Lounge. Fair?
As noted on Eye Of The Flyer, a passenger took to Reddit to share about being reprimanded for taking a banana out of a Delta Sky Club in Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP):
“I got reported for trying to take a banana out of the lounge! Someone tell me this is all a nightmare and my $700 a year isn’t a complete waste. I just wanted a banana.”
It is true that the Sky Club “House Rules” include the following stipulation: “Food and beverages may not be removed from any Delta Sky Club.”
And the agent was not wholly out of line for reminding the passenger of that. But on the other hand, haven’t most of us taken an apple or banana from the lounge? Isn’t that really the point of the whole fruit, often placed near the lounge entrance (and often why a lounge will have both sliced fruit and whole fruit at the same time)?
I think there is a huge difference between taking Tupperware into a lounge and loading up versus grabbing a bag of chips or a cookie…or a banana on the way out. In fact, the candy areas of some Delta Sky Clubs even have to-go bags and both ceramic and paper coffee cups with lids are available, suggesting the coffee and tea are also intended to be taken away.
This may be a gray area, but it strikes me as the sort of gray area in which a passenger should not be chided for.
But this story has prompted a “revolt” from other Delta flyers, with many now grabbing bananas and posting selfies:
You won’t catch me swinging my banana around, but maybe the agent should have just let it go…
Do you think it is okay to remove a banana from a lounge?
images: reddit
The Delta lounge agent was probably jealous that they couldn’t have their own banana.
@Patrick … The Delta agent was concerned that a green banana could cause constipation … whilst an overripe banana might quish in the carry-on . The Delta agent was helping the passenger make a good decision .
Seriously? Did we sign up for extra parents?
You could technically bite the banana and then legally take it out ?!
This man bananas.
What about the rule (if it exists) that airline personnel are supposed to be courteous?
I used to take one sanitary napkin from each flight and now I have hundreds. Once I used it to mop a small spill and maybe I’ll use up my supply by moping the floor. I’ve stopped taking any.
To be fair, it was probably a Premium banana.
The best and most profitable in the world and better than a United or American banana.
How do you expect Delta, a premium carrier, to be the most profitable airline in the world if people are stealing bananas from the lounge?
With people playing $3500 or 350,000 SkyMiles for a Delta One upgrade on a 767-300, of course
I’ve been encouraged by Delta lounge attendants at SFO and ORD to take some to go snacks (bananas, cookies, chips etc.) Isn’t that the whole purpose of these easy to grab snack food?
You never know the sort of mischief for which people use bananas:
And United has begun to open “Grab and Go” clubs where all you can do is take food with you. Go figure.
Delta has the best bananas from the most premium clubs to take on the most premium airplanes where the most premium engine panels fall of the most premium airline with on the most premium route…….. check the news!
Already have a story written on this for tomorrow!
This issue has more to do with the safety culture at Boeing and the FAAs cozy relationship with the manufacturer, rather than any specific airline.
Having said that, Delta is incredibly cheap and it’s their secret to success.
They have the oldest fleet in country and as a result they not only maintain their own aircraft, they’ve built a side business to maintain other commercial, military, and private aircraft.
They save so much money by not going into debt from buying new aircraft that they are far ahead the most profitable airline.
They also have the flexibility to purchase any type of aircraft because their mechanics already fix everything.
Only 20% of their shop is devoted to Delta metal. The other 80% is spent repairing all types of aircraft from 747 cargo planes, Air Force 2 VP jet, down to small regional jets.
Their Atlanta shop is one of the few facilities in the world capable of a complete engine teardown and chemical bath.
They have an engine testing bay that is rated for engines that have yet to be invented.
Since they’re doing their own maintenance, they can afford to purchase older, more established and tested models of aircraft.
All this supports their operational reliability and safety first mindset.
I’ll be the first to point out Delta’s failings, but this is one area in which they excel, and is worth paying a premium for.
And while there are really good and dedicated people throughout our infrastructure, I do think it’s worth taking a look at what kind of oversight and accountability there is for critical functions of aviation and aircraft manufacturers.
Panels falling off is a failure to notice the fastening screws are stripped out, which is an airline maintence issue, not a manufacturer issue.
I have been going to that same lounge for 20 years and never had an issue in taking anything to eat from the lounge. Actually, on early AM flights you see many people getting a banana or apple, cereal bars and coffee to go. Nobody has ever said anything. This agent was probably having a bad day. Now, some people take advantage and load their backpacks with stuff and that is wrong in my opinion. Now, one thing I know Delta lounge agents do not allow is people bringing food from outside to eat at the lounge. That is a big no no.
And I am thankful for that…especially smelly food!
I need Tim Dunn’s take on this before I can move along with my day….
He has been absent lately. Too much time on the other blogs!
Maybe mom grounded him and forbade computer use in her basement.
I believe that if taking banana’s from the best lounges in the world can help affect the bottom line in a positive matter that will help my portfolio of stocks than I am all for our esteemed and valuable passengers to take Banana’s from the lounges
“Food and beverages may not be removed from any Delta Sky Club.” If this is true, why do they offer disposable cups so people can take their coffee with them to the plane? Go to the lounge in the morning and majority of passengers will leave carrying their cup of coffee from the lounge.
Sometimes you should just leave other peoples bananas alone.
They were probably worried about some Mario Kart style shenanigans on the tarmac
Here’s the opposite. The Capital One Lounges give you a bag and have actual good food to go for your flight, they encourage you to pack the bag and will give you a second one if you want. If capital One had more lounges I would dump my Amex card in a minute. The food is really good at CAP ONE lounges and the best lounge going in the US,
Not sure it was a mass revolt, but clickbait needs to clickbait I guess.
Still, the gate agent could have just let it go.
I just posted three pictures, but check out the number of clicks and comments on the reddit page.
If everyone loaded their bags with takeaway food, we might see the end of lounges. But there will always be jerks who game the system to their own advantage with no regard for others.
Or at least that’s what I remember reading on some blog once about people who take food and beverage from airline lounges…..
https://liveandletsfly.com/hotel-lounge-beer-theft/
I don’t care about the banana, but don’t even think about taking a pocketful of sauerkraut out with you, you thieving demon…..we have to draw a line in the sand
There’s always money in the banana stand.
This passenger should be barred from flying Delta again for LIFE…as well as all their friends and family…for daring to steal from the world’s #1 PREMIUM airline
Selective enforcement of rules is incredibly dangerous for an airline — asking employees to determine which rules are worth enforcing — and which are not — is a recipe for disaster. If you have a rule — enforce it — or change it — but don’t ask someone else to make that decision..
Just let it go, just get your hands off the airlines banana and move on folks nothing too see here
Not to state the obvious but I had a banana in my pants and some guy named Tim fell in love with me.
“ You won’t catch me swinging my banana around” – best sentence I’ve read in long time on this blog.
So do we know which of the 3 Delta Sky Lounges this happened in? The nice new one or the run down old ones?
Good question. We don’t. For some reason, the passenger put the location in but then redacted it later.
This is what’s wrong with people and our society. Being short sighted. This story is about principle, double standards and playing the victim. For principle, there are rules in place for people to follow. Follow them or deal with consequences. Everybody knows that an action has a reaction. Double standards. Seems like some rules apply to some but not others. Should be the same across the board for everyone. Playing the victim, this happens all too often. My actions were justified! No they weren’t. You broke the rules and because you were humiliated or embarrassed, you make excuses like the food turned out to be for some person who really needed it and I should feel ashamed. Case in point, we wouldn’t be having this conversation if the rules were followed.
Let’s not take issue with the person doing their job but with the rule itself. No idea of what the consequences would have been for the banana-policewoman had she not said something to the bananaremover.
It’s one banana. What could it possibly cost? Ten dollars?
Beat me to it!
More like 17 cents. I put one on a scale just to do the math in my post about this 🙂
https://eyeoftheflyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/banana-scale-843×1536.jpg
@René, they’re quoting a line from the fantastic “Arrested Development”.
There’s money in the banana stand!
Ten dollars or 30,000 SkyMiles.
Rule could be that you can leave with 2 drink (non-alcoholic) or snack items per guest. So a coffee and a banana, but not a coffee and 2 bananas.
Objective and reasonable.
The current poorly conceived rule puts both the attendant and the guest in a difficult situation.
That’s bananas!
I say “ Bandanna off” or “ or take this banana back and shove it”
It’s just an over zealous employee enforcing an obscure rule that probably doesn’t even apply to whole fruit. In the large scheme of things, this is trivial and makes for bad publicity.
Ending the secondary market in purloined lounge fruit is next to human trafficking of the things Delta is actively campaigning against. I look forward to seeing Ed tell us about it ahead of a future onboard safety video.
It’s not unreasonable for delta employee to remind the passenger that they’re not allowed to take food out of the lounge. I wouldn’t report the passenger or go after them “ma’am step away from banana. Security !” Be firm but polite.
I wanna grab hold of Matthew’s swinging banana and put the whole thing in my mouth!
I find that taking a cup of hot coffee out to take on board the plane to be the best part of the lounge. It’s fresh coffee, not like the dirty coffee on the plane. And they have ceramic cups and paper cups with lids. So that says to me that you can certainly take coffee out.
Agreed!
Be careful with these airline employees. I don’t trust them: He was just testing you if you would get angry or not so they can kick you off the flight.
What’s going on with Delta, I was in the process of purchasing tickets for a trip to Key West on the Delta website when an offer popped up to open an American Express Sky Miles card to get a $200 statement credit. I qualified for the credit card and made the purchase. I never got the $200 statement credit. I contacted both American Express and Delta and was told even though I qualified for the credit card I did not qualify for the statement credit.
Amex is almost as bad as Chase at stealing points and welcome bonuses. File a complaint with CFSB. It worked for me.
https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/
Trader Joe’s got the word…
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/yourmoney/article-13246529/trader-joes-grocery-item-increase-twenty-years.html
The moment ownership of the banana passed from the lounge to the customer, the lounge lost the right to dictate what can be done with it.
If Delta built more spacious lounges, customers wouldn’t be so eager to get their food and leave. Delta’s poor customer service is precisely why I now avoid Delta.
Well she took a banana so I will take a banana and maybe an apple too. Hey they took a bit of something . Did you see that ? Now hurry , you folk all go get am item a place it in your bag. You know we’ve got something we can get away with. When I get back home ìm going to tell my other flyers what to do and how to take something away that we were told prior , NOT TO DO ! As things get lax folk get comfortable taking a bit of this and a bit of that and no big deal. Then next thing you know one will be like the fella walking out of the 99 cent store with two bags full of their merchandise because every item is only 99 cents and no big deal . Just wait till he tells his other friends how he did it and soon they will have their bags ready as well getting one item and then a few more . Then when all the fruit etc is discontinued. Like a migrant , they will be sitting around wondering why and feel like they are being mistreated. When all of them did the wrong thing prior to the discontinuation.
“Premium”
Having 1 less body in the lounge opens it up for someone else to use. And if it’s a $0.30 banana that helps move someone along then so be it.
DUUUDES and DUUUDETTES! Structure and boundaries are what made USA great, and now we have none. Say what you want, but rules are rules, and instead of being an entitled pompous customer, how about being a polite customer? I AM CERTAIN There is more to this story! Why not just put the banana in your carry on and walk quietly out of the lounge? Why can’t we go back to JFK days when we all got along “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country”. Apparently I am the only conservative who applauds this Delta worker’s
decision! If you are discreet and slip the fruit into your bag, no foul. If you walk out waving the banana and flipping
the Delta employees off, foul and you get a time out.
Just let the agent do their job and put it back.
It all adds up in the end. Even if only 25% of the 20,000 people who use the MSP clubs daily (5,000 people) stole a banana the club would loose $750 per day. Or $273,750 per year from banana thieves.
Over the past few years the cost of a single person membership has gone up from $350 to $550 per year. So if Delta allows 25% of it’s club members to steal a banana each day it means we are going to have another membership increase next year.
Hopefully they don’t start stealing apples also, because then we’re going to be looking at a major increase in the yearly cost of membership.
Of course if Delta presses charges they might be able to get restitution for the theft’s and that might help to lower our membership cost. Delta needs to prosecute the thieves to the fullest extent of the law to set an example, so thief’s will be deterred from attempting to steal fruit from the clubs. Hopefully this is only a problem in the MSP clubs. Because if it happens in other airports we are going to be looking at a pandemic. Delta needs to get in front of this and nip it in the butt quickly before it gets out of hand and members start thinking they can steal stuff like cookies also or napkins. Don’t even get me started on how much Delta would loose if their members started to steal napkins! Delta needs to get ahead of this quickly so it doesn’t become a serious issue.
To comply with the Delta Air Lines Sky Club mandate that “Food and beverages may not be removed from any Delta Sky Club,” are guests required to visit an official Sky Club premium lavatory to pee and poop out consumed Sky Club food and beverages before exiting the club?
This is the problem that the entire airline industry is faced with. They hire brain dead 20 somethings that haven’t got critical thinking skills because they have no social skills. They have their face in their handheld device 24/7. The cat communicate worth s***. They can’t write they can’t spell and finally they can’t discern between what’s logically right and what’s logically wrong. All I can say is God help this Society because it is on such a rapid decline I don’t believe there’s any hope.
Need to get it while you can as next year we are soooooo very limited in visits. thanks American Express and Delta for caring so much about your loyal clients!!! NOT!!
In most of the Delta lounges I use, the banana bowl is placed near the exit with the intent that you would take them with you. Some times it ornamged, plastic wrapped apples, or rice Krispy treats. What about the coffee and the “to go” cups with lids?
This was a story? It’s nuts
Maybe it’s just me, but I find MSP a noticeably worse place to transfer than the other Delta hubs, so that’s what stood out to me. I’ve had such good experiences in Atlanta, Detroit, JFK, and Seattle, but not MSP.
Troll me if I’m being too litigious about this, but at the moment that the passenger assumed ownership of the banana, which was purchased through their membership, Delta forfeited any right to restrict the movement, or consumption protocol for the banana. Customer has grounds for a suit. Delta should be investigated for possible criminal banana forceful imprisionment.
A paid service does not constitute all inclusive.