United Clubs have embarked upon a revolution, but perhaps not the revolution you’d expect…I’d call the change revolutionary in the sense that it comes full-circle, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Revolution: How United Is Keeping United Clubs Clean + Safe
In a video released today, United explains how it is applying its CleanPlus program to its network of airport lounges known as United Clubs.
As you’d expect, there is mandatory social distancing, frequent cleaning, and and end to many of the self-serve features that characterized the club prior to the pandemic.
One thing that caught my eye was the return of packaged food, which will replace the buffet of soups, salads, cheese, bread, sandwiches, and occasional hot items that have appeared in United Clubs for the last several years.
That’s to be expected of course, but for longtime Club members or frequent travelers, you’ll notice that United has essentially returned food offerings to what they were for so many years prior to the improvements of the preceding 2-3 years.
For years, United Club offered individually packaged food like cheese, crackers, carrots, and yogurt. This worked well for the most part. After the merger with Continental, United began moving toward more communal food offerings in order to discourage people taking food from the lounge.
I like packaged food, precisely because you can take it from the lounge, which is especially helpful in an era in which most airport restaurants are closed and food service onboard is extremely limited.
In that sense, the new food selection is more sanitary and much more helpful if you only have a moment before or between flights, none of which will likely offer meal service even in premium cabins.
CONCLUSION
I thought United had done a great job in offering a decent spread of food options prior to the pandemic (including superb Korean beef tacos at LAX), but it is understandable why this has all been cut back (hopefully on the a temporary basis). I’m happy to be able to take food with me once again, even if that is not the intention of the new “revolutionary” food offerings available now.
Do you prefer pre-packaged food in airport lounges?
If restaurants can find a way to safely put hot food on a plate and serve it to you, what’s the problem with the clubs…..ahem AMEX
What restaurants can do safely, namely individual plates delivered directly to customers, would represent a labor intensive change of process for most airline lounges.
I’m honestly amazed they have the clubs open at all.
That’s the key – they need to serve it to you, and not allowing customers to handle food by themselves. This would require additional staffing (and labor cost) just to serve food to you.
I suspect this would benefit people with lounge access flying in economy quite a bit, especially on longer haul flights.
Hardly anyone was wearing a mask in their Denver club and no one was enforcing the policy. The food/drink offerings were the minimalist packaged stuff that you described
Which begs the question – I do wonder how Domestic Priority Pass restaurants (lounges less concerning) will fare during COVID.
PP was the was the most attractive feature of CSR and previously Amex cards to our Family with PDX being our home hub. Traveling on average every 45 days in 2018/19.
It was less useful I’ntl except on the rare flight we didn’t have airline/partner lounge access from our ticket.
@Chris
Amex is just being cheap w/packaged foods – far less overhead and labor.
I imagine that this will be temporary. The per unit cost of packaged foods is generally higher than bulk product, although waste is higher on bulk items, which, while passenger volumes are down, probably tips the balance towards similar net cost for the airlines.
It also appears that transmission of this virus via ingestion is sufficiently rare as to be a non-issue, although studies are ongoing. If published research is able to show a minimal risk of transmission via bulk food, I think we’ll see buffets and self-service back even before we see functional elimination of the virus. In fact, hotel buffets appear to be already back in many countries further along in the pandemic, such as China and South Korea.
Soda fountain is not safe at all, as demonstrate in the video, especially these new style fountain everybody touching the same screen, they should give out individual cans, like some RCC used to have soda fridges
When I was last in the United Club at ORD in June, the (meager) self-serve options were limited to individually packaged snack food. Drinks were only available at the bar.
I’ve been bringing an empty suitcase into the United clubs and fill it with packaged food to take with me. Anyone know if any of the club’s have stroopwafels?
Lol!
Matthew, I see your point about the advantage of offering packaged food with regard to being able to load up on in-flight snacks, however the packaged snacks were gas station quality at best and in no way compare to the things I’ve seen in United Clubs pre-COVID. This is devolution.
If there’s little to no food options for purchase, the free packaged stuff starts looking a lot better.
Andy K, I don’t disagree but the pre-packaged food is helpful in other ways during this time.
I agree with you that it’s nice to be able to take food and drinks to go, but I believe there’s almost zero risk to buffets. The virus isn’t transmitted via consuming food and there’s no documented evidence of surface transmission (e.g. touching shared utensils). In my view, the only necessary interventions for airport lounges are limiting crowding and not allowing sick people access. If possible, open a door or window to the outside. I’m already tired of this “hygiene theater” and “COVID theater” nonsense — and we’re just getting started!
Buffets are gone, whether its airline clubs or your hotel. The last time I was in UA clubs in DEN and ORD in June, the selection was all grab-n-go. Keep in mind, there were only 8 people in the club with equal number of staff members. I’m not complaining, because all bars in the concourses were closed, except for the UA club. Where do you think you can grab a hot meal or a drink today? These are new and stressful times which we must adapt and change our preconceived notions from.
It brought a tear to my eye running into UA club employees, GAs and FAs that I recognize, that thank me for my business and welcome me back because they missed me and they are uncertain of their future.
Andy K, the whole world is devolving. This is the least of our worries.