Tag: flights

  • American Airlines Begins Selling Alcohol On Flights Again

    American Airlines Begins Selling Alcohol On Flights Again

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    The carrier will allow customers to buy beer for $8 and spirits and wine for $9 during flights 

    The carrier American Airlines announced on Thursday that they will be resuming inflight alcoholic beverages sales starting on April 18 on domestic and short-haul international flights. On the same date the mask mandate for flights is set to expire.

    American Airlines Plane flying

    Alcohol has been banned from economy class for almost two years due to passengers’ inappropriate behavior towards crew members and passengers. The decision to bring back beer, wine, and spirits comes after all other airlines lifted this restriction and travelers requested the service. 

    The airline confirmed in a statement: “Our customers have expressed that having these options onboard is important to their experience with us.” The prices for inflight alcohol in the main cabin have also been shared and are the same as before the pandemic: $8 for a beer and $9 for spirits—gin, rum, vodka, and whiskey— and wine. Snacks are also coming back and prices range from $4 to $6.

    woman enjoys a drink during flight

    The first alcohol restriction started in March 2020, after that, only first-class had access to alcoholic beverages. Starting in April, passengers in Main Cabin Extra—a section with extra legroom— will receive free alcohol as they did before the restriction.

    Other airlines had also banned alcohol sales during the pandemic but resumed services during the past few months. American Airlines has been the last carrier to return to inflight alcoholic beverages sales.

    shadow of a man observing American Airlines planes

    Why American Airlines Restricted Alcohol Sales

    After the pandemic, there were many reports of unruly passengers from different airlines across the United States. The Federal Aviation Administration shared a report in June 2021 and informed that, since the beginning of the year, it had received around 3,100 reports of unruly passengers’ behavior.

    Female cabin crew pouring a glass of champaign in business class

    Many of these reports—which include verbal abuse and physical violence— were related to the mask mandate and passengers refusing to wear it. After this, the Agency implemented a “zero tolerance” policy and said fines could raise up to $35,000. 

    Last year, American Airlines was about to lift the non-alcohol sales mandate implemented in 2020, but decided to postpone this decision. Brady Brynes, the carrier’s Vice President of Flight Service, said in a memo in May 2021: “Over the past week we’ve seen some of these stressors create deeply disturbing situations onboard aircraft. Let me be clear: American Airlines will not tolerate assault or mistreatment of our crews.”

    flight attendant

    Brynes also added that they understand that customers and also crew members are eager to return to “normal”, but that they had to be cautious. He also told the staff:  “We also recognize that alcohol can contribute to atypical behavior from customers onboard and we owe it to our crew not to potentially exacerbate what can already be a new and stressful situation for our customers.”

    Other Airlines Restrictions

    Two years ago, Southwest Airlines was the first airline to implement the alcohol sales ban due to unruly behavior on March 18. After this mandate, American Airlines, United Airlines, Easyjet, Asia’s Virgin Australia, KLM, and Delta Airlines followed the lead. British Airways also suspended alcohol services but only for short-haul economy. 

    After prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages, the return of this service in recent months has been offered intermittently. In 2021 Southwest announced that they will resume selling alcohol during flights, but after a passenger physically assaulted a flight attendant, decided to extend the ban.

    in flight drink

    A spokesman from Southwest Airlines said: “We realize this decision may be disappointing for some customers, but we feel this is the right decision at this time in the interest of the Safety and comfort of all Customers and Crew onboard.”
    Delta Air Lines resumed inflight alcohol beverages sales in April 2021—but made them more expensive— and United Airlines in November 2021. Southwest Airlines resumed alcohol sales on its planes in February 2022. American Airlines was the last American carrier to reimplement this service.

    vegas southwest

    Read More:

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  • United Airlines boosts United States west coast flights | News

     

    United Airlines boosts United States west coast flights

    United Airlines will improve the frequency of its flights from London/Heathrow to each its San Francisco and Los Angeles hubs.

    For winter 2016-17, the airline will function a second each day Heathrow-San Francisco nonstop service, efficient October thirtieth, 2016.

    For summertime 2017, United will add a second each day Heathrow-Los Angeles flight, efficient April fifth, 2017.

    The extra San Francisco flight, UA900, will depart Heathrow each day at 11:40, arriving in San Francisco at 15:40 the identical day.

    The return flight, UA901, will depart San Francisco each day at 16:15, arriving at London/Heathrow at 09:40 the next day.

    The flights will likely be operated by Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane that includes a complete of 219 seats – 36 flat-bed seats in BusinessFirst and 183 in Economy, together with 70 Economy Plus seats with added legroom and elevated private house.

    Flight occasions will likely be 11 hours westbound and ten hours 25 minutes eastbound.

    With the addition of this second-daily service within the winter, United will function twice each day between Heathrow and San Francisco on a year-round foundation.

    The extra Los Angeles service, UA61, will depart Heathrow each day at 11:40, arriving at Los Angeles at 05:20 the identical day.

    The return flight, UA60, will depart Los Angeles each day at 15:10, arriving at London/Heathrow at 09:40 the next day.

    The flights will likely be operated by Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner plane, that includes a complete of 252 seats – 48 flat-bed seats in BusinessFirst and 204 in Economy, together with 88 Economy Plus seats.

    Flight occasions will likely be 11 hours ten minutes westbound and ten hours half-hour eastbound.

    “These additional flights demonstrate the success of our services from Heathrow to the US West Coast,” mentioned Bob Schumacher, United managing director gross sales – UK and Ireland.

    “They will provide our UK customers with more travel options to the Bay Area and LA, as well as an extensive range of connections from our hubs at both San Francisco International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport to destinations across the US and beyond.”

    At the identical time because it will increase San Francisco service, United will scale back the variety of each day continuous flights it operates from Heathrow to Houston from three to 2, efficient October thirtieth, 2016.

    Both Houston companies will likely be operated by Boeing 777-200 plane, a rise in plane measurement from the present schedule operated with 767-300s and 787s.

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