United Airlines is serving hard liquor on flights again. This move comes ahead of the holiday season, which is a busy time for the industry.
On Monday, United started selling hard liquor on small bottles in the economy class of selected domestic flights. United offers hard liquor on flights more than 300 miles “in response to the feedback” the company received from “both customers and flight attendants”.
In their statement, United said that “The ability to offer a complete food and beverage menu is something that we know is important to our customers”.
Travelers can avail themselves of the hard liquor via the airline’s new contactless payment technology. This is the same technology that United used to sell other beverages including wine and beer.
United said that “With travel demand on the rise and the many safety protocols we have in place, particularly with our site of contactless payment solutions, now felt like the right time to expand our inflight beverage menu”.
Selling Hard Liquor Despite The Number of Unruly Airline Passengers
Since the start of the year, the Federal Aviation Administration received more than 5,100 reports of unruly passengers. Last week, the FAA announced fines totaling more than $225K for 10 violent airline passengers.
Most of the cases of unruly passengers were because of improper wearing of masks. However, some situations were worsened by alcohol. Some unruly passengers physically assaulted flight attendants.
American Airlines suspended the selling of alcohol until January 18, 2022. This is until the same day when the mask mandate will expire. On the other hand, Southwest Airlines continues to suspend the selling of alcohol at least until next year.
Flight Attendants Against Alcohol Consumption Onboard Flights
Flight attendant union leader Sara Nelson recommends airlines to limit alcohol consumption on board. Nelson said that “The incidents of violence on planes is out of control and alcohol is often a contributor”. She added that “The federal government should provide guidance to airlines and airports on pausing alcohol sales for a period of time”.
