When US Airways announced that they would no longer be offering complimentary beverages in coach, we wondered how long it would take before other airlines ditched the free stuff. So far, none have, and the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), has denounced the move, calling US Airways planes “flying vending machines.”
The flight attendants say that not only does this “nickel and dime” approach turn flight attendants into “cashiers,” it could cause an already irritated traveling public to become enraged:
“In the current industry of customer frustration, the last thing flight attendants want to do is add fuel to the fire,” said a spokesperson in a press release.
Bloomberg reports that US Airways is trying to calm fears of a violent uprising by instituting a policy of non-confrontation with potential insurgents.
“We’re trained to keep order on an airplane and defuse confrontation,” Mike Flores, president of US Airways’ A.F.A. chapter, said in an interview Thursday. “If it takes giving a free beverage to somebody to do that, so be it. I expect there will be flight attendants who just give everything away.”
No Free Coffee on US Airways (Unless, of Course, You Insist) [NYT]
US Airways Aircraft Turn Into Flying Vending Machines (Press Release) [Portfolio]
US Airways’ air-rage incentive [Economist]
(Photo: Jenna Belle )
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@orielbean:
Shenanigans.
They only started charging for drinks on Friday. How can you have seen this “6 times over the last 2 months.”
(I flew US Air on Saturday, Brought my own drinks and snacks, and the bottled water is still cheaper at the airport than it is an the movie theatre).
I’m flying USAirways over Labor Day weekend. I plan to purchase a beverage inside the security zone at the airport, and bring some delicious, delicious Philly food from outside the airport on the plane. Thinking a pork sandwich with broccoli rab or something. Mmm.. or Herr’s potato chips…
My airline of choice hasn’t done away with the freebies yet, not that I’d really whine if they got rid of the teeny, tiny complimentary snacks. They should keep water and juice free, though, for health and safety reasons. Many people don’t (but should) realize that air travel dehydrates you faster than average.
I like to fly with a container full of homemade cookies. Oatmeal cranberry… Mmmm *drools*. So far, they’ve never been confiscated as weapons of terror and/or mass destruction, and they’re just far superior to those creme-filled strawberry jam cookies they hand out on the plane.
@darkrose: Oh man I hope my sarcasm detector is broken. Can people stop bringing pungent food on airplanes? It doesn’t happen often, but the last thing in the world I want to smell is someone’s onions or sauerkraut. You should be fined for bringing strong smelling or messy foods and eating them on the plane, and the fine should be tripled for things that cause gas. Quadruple for cabbage or beans
After weeding through countless airline “price gouging” stories can someone, anyone, please tell me what I am actually paying for when I hand them $626.43 per person for a flight from LAX to DEN? If the money isn’t enough to cover the expected expense of flying me and my family somewhere with a few sparse amenities then what am I paying for? They keep telling me that they need more of my money for the cost of fuel; what was I paying for in the first place?!
I took a domestic flight in South Korea (currently, the longest domestic flight is probably Seoul to Jeju at 50 minutes) and damn, it blew me away.
You can realistically check-in 30 minutes before the scheduled take-off time (from full service counter check-in to security to the gate). Up to two free checked baggages for everyone (more if you have good frequent flyer status). Airport concessions that aren’t extremely overpriced. Complimentary cold beverages and hot drinks in flight.
I got the feeling that this is what flying was like in the US (if not even better) before things went downhill fast.
In any case, it was miles better better than what I experienced respectively through domestic flights in the US with American, US Airways, (now defunct) ATA and (to a lesser extent with) Continental.
Northwest has to be better than this. And if you’ve already got a ticket on US Air it’s not too late- get to the airport early and bring your ticket to Northwest instead and have the gate agent look up G ATO BUMP.
@bagumpity: Considering that a frozen jar of tomato sauce is a liquid, according to the TSA (see: [www.salon.com] ), your frozen water (or as some snooty, latte-sipping Harvard types call it, “ice”) could very possibly be cold, clear liquid semtex, with a ricin chaser.
I hope you enjoy your complimentary cattle prod colonoscopy.