The idea sounds like a win-win for Delta Air Lines and some of its best customers.
Two weeks ago, Delta began selling food - sandwiches, salads and snacks - at its Crown Room Clubs in four airports, including the one at Tampa International. If the 30-day test is a success, Delta might expand the service to more of its 40 clubs across the United States.
The experiment is going well in Tampa, says club manager Ty Womack. But the project has some potential pitfalls he's watching for. His biggest worry: Will the smell of food and the mess from discarded wrappers bother other club members and guests?
No problems so far, Womack says. Items such as turkey sandwiches and chicken Caesar salads don't give off much of an odor. Airport concessionaire HMS Host, which caters the food, also helps police the club for trash.
The sales also are prompting a few customers to question Delta's traditional policy against bringing food from home or airport concessions into the club. The answer is still a polite "no."
During the first week, Delta rang up $1,227 in sales at the Tampa club. The airline gets an undisclosed share of the money. That helps support the club, which relies on membership fees, conference room rentals and advertising income.
But Womack says the biggest payoff is giving the airline's high fliers the convenience of grabbing a quick bite without leaving the comfort of the club. It's especially important at a time when many Delta frequent fliers complain they've lost other perks.
"With all the changes we've had, it's like, "Let's do something a little more positive for the customer,' " Womack says.
