Terminal Madness : 2 Airlines’ Private Clubs Will Offer Escape From Lindbergh Crush

The frequent flier who travels to and from San Diego knows well the woes of Lindbergh Field’s crowded terminals.

Waiting room seats are few, so legs go numb leaning against walls. Business phone calls become shouting matches as hustling crowds drown voices. Tourists darting through the concourse threaten to trample those in their path.

But two air carriers plan to soon offer their passengers an escape from such madness.

The San Diego Unified Port District’s board of commissioners on Tuesday approved American Airlines’ plan to build a $3-million Admirals Club lounge where travelers can relax while waiting for flights.

The project includes not only the members-only lounge but also additional waiting-room space at American’s West Terminal.

A second carrier, USAir, has already begun construction on its private lounge for passengers at Lindbergh. Called USAir Club, the lounge will be one of 30 nationwide operated by USAir. USAir Club members pay $100 annual dues to gain admittance to the lounges.

The construction is part of an $11.5-million project USAir began last June to add a second floor to its current terminal and to build eight ramps where passengers can board the planes without having to walk outside.

The membership lounges are not a new concept--American has had them for 50 years--but Lindbergh Field has never had such an amenity.

“Quite frankly, it’s a haven away from the the hubbub of the airport,” said John Hotard, an American Airlines spokesman based at the company’s headquarters in Fort Worth. “It’s just a place to relax.”

But, as the pace of doing business has hastened, the role of the Admirals Club--and similar lounges operated by other carriers--has changed. Airline officials say the private lounges have transformed into mini-business centers.

“They’re still equipped with bars and comfortable couches,” Hotard said. “But now our Admirals Clubs offer (personal computers) with modems, fax machines, telephones. . . . Many of them have conference rooms, too. It’s become a place to conduct your business, because, as we all know, time is money.”

American Airlines operates a total of nearly 30 clubs nationwide in the United States and Europe, Hotard says. Club members pay annual dues of $120; each member is allowed two guests.

Construction of the Admirals Club, which is expected to open this winter, is part of a $3-million project that will also include a passenger holding room.

As San Diego’s business presence emerges and the city attracts more business fliers, airline officials say these customers will demand business lounges.

“We’re putting this in in response to our customers’ demands,” said Joseph Sanfilippo, American Airlines’ Southwestern regional manager based in Los Angeles. “We’ve often been asked why we don’t have an Admirals Club in San Diego.”

“Another benefit is that the Club is staffed by our personnel, who can help you if you have last-minute changes in your travel plans. . . . It’s like having your personal check-in,” said Larry Pickett, USAir’s assistant vice president of corporate communications based in Los Angeles.