La La Land: Passengers In Posh Delta One LAX Lounge Presented With Venmo Tip Card

A server in the posh, premium Delta One Lounge at Los Angeles International (LAX) has come up with a unique way to goad premium passengers into tipping: a laminated card with the Delta logo on it and a QR code for a personal Venmo account.

La La Land: Passengers In Posh Delta One LAX Lounge Presented With Venmo Tip Card

I recently raved about the new Delta One Lounge at LAX, a lovely lounge in Terminal 3 at LAX that I’d rank as the airport’s nicest lounge of all. One thing that particularly impressed me was how excellent the staff was…engaged, friendly, attentive, and gregarious.

But one passenger received something extra:

Just left Delta One lounge at LAX. We have been to the Delta One Lounge a few times in NYC, but this was the first time at LAX. Unlike NYC lounge everything in LAX club is ordered from a small menu and brought by staff. Before we left, the server gave us a laminated card with his personal Venmo Account so we could give him a tip. It had the Delta One logo on the bottom.

I must admit, it took some of the fun out of the experience. I wonder if this is part of the Delta One Lounge program or a rogue employees.

My guess: rogue employee.

I still love the signs that Alaska Airlines puts its lounges:

I loathe tipping in America…I dislike it so much. Yet I do tip…I even tipped (via Venmo to boot…) when I was in the LAX Delta One Lounge. But it wasn’t because my waitress asked for it or tried to guilt me into it with a not-so-subtle card. It’s because she delivered such outstanding service that I could not help but show my gratitude.

That’s when tipping is appropriate! 

Every worker at LAX is paid a handsome living wage ($25.23)…that’s by ordinance. Sure, that doesn’t get you homeownership in LA, but it’s quite decent. While I am happy to tip for over-the-top good service, it crosses an unacceptable line to suggest to passengers who have paid thousands of dollars for their airline tickets to kick in more money for the (high level) of service in the lounge that is expected as part of the flight ticket.

We’ve asked Delta about this issue and I’ll update this post if I hear back…but I’m almost 100% confident in saying this was a rogue act not sanctioned by Delta and the employee(s) who do this need corrective training.

Hat Tip: View From The Wing