September 30, 2025
Kyodo News/Sipa USA
The Philadelphia Department of Public Health ordered United Airlines to shut down its United Club lounge in Terminal C of Philadelphia International Airport on Monday after discovering a fly infestation and other health violations. Above, a file shot of a United Airlines plane.
The United Airlines lounge at Philadelphia International Airport was shut down by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health on Monday after an inspection revealed a fly infestation and other violations.
Health inspectors who visited the United Club lounge in Terminal C observed flies in the bar area of the lounge and the men's bathroom. The inspection also determined that the lounge does not employ anyone with a valid food safety certificate from the health department.
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"Due to imminent health hazards observed during this inspection, the establishment has been issued a Cease Operations Order and must discontinue food operations immediately," the health department's inspection report said.
The lounge is required to remain closed for at least 48 hours after the cease operations order issued by the health department. The airline must pay a fee and have the lounge reinspected before it can reopen. The earliest it can reopen is Wednesday afternoon.
United Club lounges are open to travelers who have premium airline memberships or day passes for same-day flights with United Airlines.
"We are working with our service provider Sodexo and the city of Philadelphia to fix the shortcomings found by the city," a United Airlines spokesperson said Tuesday. "We look forward to re-opening the club soon."
United Club members who are unable to access the lounge in Philadelphia during the closure are being offered $25 vouchers, the airline said.
Jim Garrow, a spokesperson for the health department, said Monday's inspection was prompted by previous inspections that called for more frequent inspections. The lounge has been inspected five times since the beginning of 2024.
Other violations noted in the health department's report include a lack of hot water for the hand-washing sink in the food prep area and non-working dispensers for hand sanitizer and dish detergent.
Several of the violations were corrected by staff during the inspection, the health department report said. Others were repeat violations also found during inspections in July and March. The lounge was not shut down following past inspections.
