A few weeks ago, I tried US Airway’s Club at the Philadelphia Airport. I want to report that it was a waste of money; that the people on the other side of those slidey-glass double doors are no more or less happy than we hoi polloi are; that there’s no discernible difference.
I wanted to lie to you. But I can’t.
Admittedly, one of those three presumptions is probably not true: They’re probably no happier than those of us fighting the good fight in the main departure hall.
But they have bellies full of cheap drinks and free Pepperidge Farm cookies, and I think that eases the travel pain.
OK, OK, at least it’s not glamorous. Most of the reading materials were magazines like Executive Golfer Monthly and Maryland’s Finest. The crowd had that same Glengarry, Glen Ross mojo that I’m quoting in the headline of this piece.
It’s definitely not the swanky, Clooney-ful lounge from “Up in the Air,” but as previously stated in a post on the single best hotel amenity, what the lounge provides is space.
Space to get away from the blathering of CNN on an overhead TV found every twenty yards in the main departure hall. Space to get away from the Glen Rosses who want to natter away on their Bluetooth headphones, many of which carry over to the executive lounge. (Seriously, guys. If Brad Pitt can’t make one of those things look good, you have NO SHOT at pulling it off. You look like an asshat. Please stop.)
There’s so much space, it felt giddy. When someone annoyed me, I could move to another chair and find another outlet to plug in my electronics. Revolutionary.
I’m seriously contemplating adding a $30 day-rate fee for access to these places for any time I fly through Philly–traditionally one of the worst airports I’ve been to. (I’ve taken photos of the cracking ceiling tile, unmentionable brown rust stains leaking down the walls, etc., but they’re too depressing to post.)
I’ll pay more for a direct flight, which is just the same kind of comfort-and-convenience surcharge. Why not a day pass? I’m not really sure that this is any different, and plus, unlike the flight itself, this comes with all the free cookies I can eat.
P.S. The photos above were my view from the PHL lounge, but run through the snazzy photography iPhone apps I like to use when I travel.
Go on, add a comment↓
We want to hear from you, you smartie you.