Less than a year after the American Express Centurion Lounge’s heralded opening, the highest-end club at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport failed a county health inspection.
The inspection, first reported by Channel 2 Action News, found flies at the bar area, a dirty ice machine and foods sitting out at the wrong temperatures.
While the lounge passed an expected follow-up exam with a “satisfactory” B grade on Wednesday, it’s an embarrassing setback for American Express and its largest Centurion Lounge in the world. The 26,000-square-foot space on Concourse E is part of the airport’s push toward higher-end travelers, featuring a whiskey bar, outdoor terraces, shower suites and private phone booths.
The location has received mixed online reviews since its February opening, and its TripAdvisor average rating is 2.5 stars. Some customers in recent months called it “the worst lounge I have ever been to” and “downright disgusting,” though others praised their experience and argued it has “potential.”
The lounge is operated by SodexoMagic, a venture between food services giant Sodexo and former NBA star Magic Johnson that also operates most of the airport’s Delta SkyClubs as well as the American Airlines Admirals Club. (All of those lounges have passed recent health inspections, county records show.)
The vendor referred comment to American Express, which told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in a written statement: “Delivering a great experience in the Centurion Lounge is our top priority. We take these inspections seriously and have taken immediate steps to address the report.”
According to Clayton County Health District spokesperson Vincent Parris, the follow-up grade reveals the lounge is “showing improvement,” and the county will conduct follow-up visits until another inspection in six months. After Wednesday’s inspection still showed a few violations, the county already scheduled a meeting with management to revise its food safety processes.
Credit: Miguel Martinez
Credit: Miguel Martinez
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