Another freebie bites the dust

Delta Air Lines announced this week that it is going to charge for access to its airport clubs, which so far have been free to their top-tier members.

While the airline was actually one of the last to offer any free access and is therefore arguably only falling in line with its competitors, the move could be somewhat dangerous.

The overcapacity that continues to prevail in the American airline market is making it tough to keep, let alone boost customer numbers.

Even worse, taking away this free access could affect business class travel, the most lucrative customer base, as it is these customers that are most likely to be top-tier frequent flyers. On the other hand, the proposed fee may be too small for them to care.