Have you ever visited a Delta Sky Club or wanted to? We fly a lot, and as a result find ourselves in and out of Sky Clubs all over their network. But not all Sky Clubs are created equal and there is one change that might enhance the experience for a group of members. Below we’ll share the one Delta Sky Club change we’d make. After you read, please let us know what Sky Club change you would make, or not make.
Delta Customer Experience
Delta offers a number of different customer interaction models across the experience. For example, at check-in, you can get your pass on your Delta mobile application, online and have it send to your phone, or at the airport at a kiosk or at the counter.
The first two options speed up the experience to get your pass. But only the first option allows for a truly seamless digital experience. For the millennial crowd, they don’t have to interact with anyone, stand in a line, and can get the pass electronically. That pass is then used for TSA pre check, to scan at the lounge, and scan to board the plane. Seamless experience.
The Delta Sky Club Problem I’d Fix
Sometimes I just wish I had a magic wand to change things, especially when it makes traveling easier or more efficient. I’ve seen the ever so important little Delta changes that make all the difference on a Thursday all the way to the bigger Delta changes. But one of the things I always look at when a change is implemented is if it will improve my experience and make it more seamless.
Taking the seamless experience mentioned above one step further is where I’d make my change, specifically with the Sky Club. I find that sometimes the line at Sky Clubs like LaGuardia, Atlanta’s E Terminal Sky Club, JFK’s Sky Club are excessively long and filled with people just trying to figure out if they can get in. Other times, there’s no one in line and the agents appear under utilized. If there was a way to more effectively manage the flow at some of these larger lounges, a few things would happen:
- Frequent Flyers would get in the lounge faster increasing their experience, getting to work stations faster, relax quicker – overall improving the experience
- Enable more efficient use of Sky Club team member resources – deploying Delta employees to manage flight issues, answer questions, etc, rather than just check people in
Delta Sky Club Atlanta Terminal E
The Delta Sky Club Change I’d Make
I’d allow for a “self serve” check-in line if you will. Something similar to self serve check-out at CVS, Target, and Grocery stores. Give the Frequent Flyer the option to opt out of another human interaction in travel and just by-pass the line by scanning their boarding pass and walking through some sort of special line or mechanism to get in the lounge.
They already have seamless online check-in, TSA pre check, and even some of the Sky Clubs have self serve cocktails and beers. Adding the self serve check-in at Sky Clubs will only add to this integrated seamless experience.
This would allow for the Frequent Flyer to “by-pass” the VBITs (Vacation Bound Infrequent Travelers) who don’t know they can get in or others with questions that take a longer time.
Bottom Line
Delta offers a good customer experience – from their domestic lounges to their great on time performance with their flights. But there’s still an opportunity to enhance the experience and tailor it towards different demographics, especially millennials. I don’t know about you, but creating a self service check-in option to the Delta Sky Clubs sounds like a good idea.
What would you change with Delta Sky Clubs if anything or what would you seek to keep the same?
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About The Weekly Flyer
The Weekly Flyer writes about travel from a business traveler perspective. He travels the world every week accumulating points and miles along the way.
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Maybe. I travel every week and spend a lot of time in Delta’s Sky Clubs. I occasionally see a backlog at the front desk, but it is rare. You’re correct the delay is usually someone that is attempting to enter who doesn’t have the necessary credentials. But note that Delta has already partially automated the check-in process. Club members are now asked to scan their boarding pass bar code and the desk agent gets an automatic yea or nay. I often joke with the desk agents that pretty soon they will be out of a job as Delta fully automates the process. So while there are a few delays getting in (the Sky Club in LAX Terminal 5 can be busy on Friday mornings) I don’t see a need to take immediate action. Delta appears to be partially automating the process and I soon predict a kiosk to process frequent flyers into the clubs.
Partner with a local restuarant and sell food. I want to be in a relaxed environment with fellow frequent travelers but that doesn’t mean I should have to give up on taste. The benefit of a skymiles club is hardly the hummus and fake cheese spread…just like selling premium liquor over providing free well…allow people to pay for an upgrade to their food. Right now, delta bans any food from outside the premise…forcing the communal metal bowl of potato salad on everyone…
I was at the LAX Sky Club last week, and there was a line. They had a staffer out in line with a mobile scanner admitting people that did not have any special needs. I thought that was a good way to get those of us who were just scan and go through the line quickly. Maybe Delta will implement this at other high volume Sky Clubs.
Atl clubs use goldberg’s chicken salad…It is the best of all of the clubs in the US as u can find the chicken in it and it’s not just all Mayonaise!!!!wish other club’s would do so from local vendors!!! and change out the soups more often!!