Article: Should Airlines Keep Lounges Open for Delayed Flights?

[Beano]

There are many industries where people are asked to do overtime, sometimes at the last minute, the hospitality industry included. What's the difference with airline lounge staff? Aren't you, as a business traveller, doing the same! I try and avoid late flights, but sometimes can't help it, so arriving at 1 am in a city after 8 hrs travelling and having to be up at 6 am to meet business requirements must sometimes be endured.

 

[henrus]

A couple of years ago I flew VA SYD to BNE last flight of the day. There were rolling weather delays and just two flights left mine to BNE and the other to MEL (the rest had been cancelled meaning a huge crowd at the VA lounge reception). After mostly clearing the crowd (telling those with luggage to head to check in) they closed the lounge at around 10:00pm. Our BNE flight boarded about 10 mins later but the MEL flight was delayed another 40 odd minutes which meant many people kicked out of the lounge (mostly on the MEL flight) grabbed their drinks including whole bottles of wine from the buffet and walked off into the food court.