American Airlines Bans Alcohol in Main Cabin Through Next Year
Update 3/19/22: American Airlines is finally reversing this decision…next month. According to Fox Business an American rep said that they will “slowly reintroduce its buy-on-board” program on April 18. This includes light snacks and alcoholic beverage on flights over 250 miles.
“Beginning April 18, American will slowly reintroduce its buy-on-board program including alcohol and light snacks to domestic main cabin flights. Customers traveling on flights over 250 miles will be offered beer, wine and spirits,” the spokesperson said.
Original Post
American Airlines passengers will have to wait until next year they can enjoy an alcoholic beverage in the main cabin. The airline has announced an extension of the suspension of domestic main cabin alcohol sales through Jan. 18.
American was set to resume alcohol service in the main cabin after Sept. 13, when a federal mask mandate for air travel was set to expire. But that mandate has been extended through Jan. 18 due to a recent spike in Covid-19 cases. So the airline has matched that date for the return of alcohol beverages.
The alcohol ban is an effort to curb unruly traveler behavior that has surged this year. Masks, regulations, and more people flying are not a good mix. Typically, the FAA sees 100 to 150 formal cases of bad passenger behavior per year. But so far in 2021 the FAA has reported nearly 3,900 incidents. Around 71% of those cases involve passengers who refused to comply with the federal mask mandate on planes. The FAA has handed out over $1 million in fines to unruly passengers.
“We are doing all we can to help create a safe environment for our crew and customers onboard our aircraft,” American said in an internal memo obtained Thursday by NBC News. Several viral incidents have involved drunk passengers, with some of them needing to be restrained to their seat with duct tape.
The alcohol ban if for the main cabin only. American will continue to serve alcohol in first class.
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Airport bar employees rejoice!
The best use of AA aircraft is to send them all to Afghanistan to help with the evacuation (and humanitarian tragedy) going on over there. Anyone taking an AA flight in those circumstances would be happy/grateful to be onboard. Meanwhile, in the USA, Americans would be happy/grateful *not* to be aboard [AA].
Win/win.
The title “…Through Next Year” implies that the ban will last through the entirety of next year, which is (at least presently) not the case. May rent to reword that the ban stretches “into” next year or something to avoid confusion.
+1
Strange how UA and DL don’t seem to have NEARLY the number of inflight incidents as AA……Of course….they have seatback video, for the most part run a reliable operation and in DL’s case have f/as who at least give the impression (even if faked) that they actually LIKE having fare-paying passengers aboard.