Between the TSA ban on liquids and US Airways $2 fee for bottled water, if you want a drink, you’re probably going to pay for it. It may be annoying, but is it also wrong?
According to US Airways policy, coffee and tea are $1, but bottled drinking water is $2. So, can you order tea and ask them to “hold the tea” and save a $1? Shouldn’t you be able to get a boring old glass of water for free?
Jeanne Leblanc from the Hartford Courant thinks so:
It’s hard to understand why the laws that require free potable water in such public places as movie theaters and amusement parks don’t seem to apply to airlines. But then, it shouldn’t have to be a law. It should just be a matter of common decency.
…
Now, I’m not saying US Airways should have to hand out free bottles of water, although that would be nice. I’m saying it should pour a cup of water out of a quart bottle for any passenger who’s thirsty. And for no other reason than that they’re thirsty.
US Airways says that if you’re “desperately thirsty” and you don’t have any money, they might give you some water… so that you don’t try anything embarrassing like drinking out of the bathroom sinks.
“Frankly, [drinking from the sink is] just not classy,” a US Airways spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal.
So what do you think? Should there be non-fancy water for anyone who is thirsty?
US Airways’ Fee Too Far [Courant]
Starting Today, No More Free Water on US Air [WSJ Middle Seat Blog]
(Photo: caseywest )
More From Consumerist
-
Does It Make Sense To Ban Pit Bulls When Most People Can’t Even Identify One?
-
Poll Says Almost Half Of You Are Going To Drink At Least One Soda Today
-
Americans Increasingly Reach For Smartphones In Emergencies
-
Maybe The Average Traveler Is Okay With The TSA, But Frequent Fliers? Not So Much
-
Post Office Announces End Of Saturday Delivery, 63% Of Americans Shrug
I answered yes in the poll even though I wouldn’t say it’s “immoral” not to give free water. It’s just a bad idea, especially when you can’t take your own water on the plane. Yes you can bring an empty water bottle and fill it up; I’ve done it before. But water can’t possibly be a huge expense and to not give it just shows that the airline doesn’t care about customer service at all.
I flew US Airways back in June/July — glad I flew then instead of now — what a ripoff to charge 2 bucks for soda or water.
Another venue that is not allowing water bottles in is NFL stadiums, at least in Philadelphia. They don’t even allow empty water bottles! I can’t imagine their justification for that. I have an SRO ticket for an early September day, how much am I going to be forced to spend to stave off dehydration? I don’t know how much they charge for a cold drink – and I’ve been told that in the past they have run out of bottled water before the end.
@masonreloaded: That’s pretty much what Southwest is doing with its ads now. They do an ad with $69 fares and then add in all their competitors fees, it ends up at $131 or so. Pretty effective advertising….
Stupid question – why is Southwest able to still run effectively and profitably when airlines like United and US Air can’t? It can’t all be union health care plans…
I love that the airlines now warn you in their flight magazines about Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), also known as Economy Class Syndrome. And what is one of the best ways to avoid DVT? Drinking water! [www.usatoday.com]
The airlines dodged a liability bullet a few years ago on DVTs, hence the informative articles in the magazines. But wait until someone who doesn’t have cash on them dies of stroke from DVT after staying thirsty for a cross-country flight. They may decide that free water beats the law suits.
I personally do bring an empty water bottle and fill it in the terminal. Some terminals have disgusting water however, so if you have high water standards, you may have to pay handsomely for better water no matter what.
There is a difference between regular tap water and airplane tap water. It’s known to be extremely filthy, and there are no EPA regulations on it.
@Ein2015:
A bit late, but….
STILL not a death attributable to an airline’s incompetence. This is the movement of an already dead body.
Fuck yeah it’s immoral! Cabin dehydration is very common, since it’s dry as hell in there. People who need water (I mean really NEED water) have to pay to save their own lives? I’m surprised US Airways hasn’t charged people to use seat belts.
Regardless of whether it’s moral, it’s bad business.
It’s time to open up U.S. domestic routes to foreign competition and, if necessary, let hopeless airlines like U.S. Airways die instead of bailing them out with billions in taxpayer dollars.
TO EVERYONE:
See beyond the trend of airline hate du jour and take a moment or two to educate yourselves on the inner workings of the system, and WHY things are done (believe it or not, not just to inconvenience or deprive you).
First, airlines have to pay for bottles of water, just like cans of soda…now, instead of passing that cost onto their employees in terms of MORE pay cuts, they do what every other business does and pass it on to the CUSTOMER. People are not helpless, and as someone already said, you are more than welcome to bring an EMPTY drinking container through security and fill it with water at a water fountain past security prior to boarding.
Anyone who claims to have worked for an airline and says there are containers for drinking water is LYING. Any tanks of water on the planes are NON POTABLE water (can NOT drink) because it is in a tank that just SITS there and never gets cleaned (now if you want to debate about how well that washes hands, then you have a clue..hence why many FAs use hand gel). Anyway, that is not the subject here… Just as you bring diapers for your kids, know to bring your meds in the first place, KNOW the rules of flying from the TSA site before you leave as you should, there is no reason why you can throw an empty drink container in your carryon. This is just the BASIC common sense part of the subject…
Now for the more life threatening part (no it isn’t your convenience of someone providing your needs FOR you)….LIQUIDS being brought by Joe Public past security. As clueless as security often seems (often because they don’t need to explain to YOU why they do seemingly inane things) MANY MANY efforts have been thwarted by TERRORISTS (yes they ARE out there, for those living in Obama’s happy place) trying to take down planes (and have SUCCEEDED IN OTHER COUNTRIES) with seemingly innocuous liquids. I am actually surprised they even allow 3 oz, because it doesn’t take much (again don’t expect details for OBVIOUS reasons).
Read and learn to gain just a TINY bit of understanding:
[www.npr.org]
I’d much rather be “inconvenienced” having to bring a water container than the PROVEN alternative that can be prevented. It’s not about cool trendy airline hate, it’s about the world we now live in. Don’t like it? Drive…Keeps me safer on my travels.
Your easy guidelines:
[www.tsa.gov]
[www.tsa.gov]
all questions you have are likely answered on the site.
@The Standard Deviant: That’s basically my favorite movie.
@Mary Marsala with Fries: Perhaps it is another option, that there are only 2 black or white answers, rather than the alternative answer choices of
“people should bring their own refillable water bottle,”
or
“airlines should retrofit ALL of their planes to accomodate POTABLE water tanks, and pay a cater/cleaner to come onboard every flight, thus passing 0n those costs to passengers.”
There would be less disparity in a poll that takes other than extremist choices into consideration
@numberoneasa: Express Jet does. It’s a new program implemented by one of my family members because the charter-sized jets have smaller tanks, and it’s been a good way to start working on that problem.
Believe me, his blackberry goes nuts every time a plane tests positive for bugs.
The next time I fly, I am going to bring a few empty 2-liter bottles with me through security. They’re not liquid. They’re clear. Security should have no issue with them. Then I’m going to fill them up at the nearest water fountain and put in a couple of those kool-aid singles. Shakey shakey, and I have a tasty cool beverage.
Country Time, Kool-aid and the other vendors of these sorts of “drink-mix in easy single packet” products should advertise this in a Menthos-style commercial. Traveller with bottle of soda tries to get through security. Gets refused. Pours out soda. Takes empty bottle through security. Fills bottle and makes drink mix. Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-wah! Country-tyme, the Fresh(beverage)Maker!!!
@Trai_Dep: Ghetto Water.
@BaysideWrestling: RE, “…why is Southwest able to still run effectively and profitably when airlines like United and US Air can’t?…”,
I believe it has mostly to do with well timed fuel price hedge contracts. May be other factors too, but this is the big one.
@farcedude: I already do that. This is just ridiculous on top of ridiculous. I typically fly united, I already pack my lunch and bring 2 empty nalgene bottles. For Pete’s sake, all I want is to drink some coke with my sandwich and NOT pay $8 for coke. If they would charge reasonable rates behind security then I could have more sympathy but when they game the system(you can’t bring in liquids, they run the food services behind security, they control what’s sold on the planes) then no deal.
Sure, the terrorists are out there. It is also true that TSA is more about show than anything else. They are a front designed to put on a display of control/authority. Whether science supports their claims or procedures does not matter, because it is all about making travelers “feel” safe and nothing more. Other agencies may be doing a lot of work behind the scenes to prevent future terrorist attacks, but the TSA is not one of those.
@usa_gatekeeper:
Southwest actually planned wisely for the future. Somebody there has great business sense. The others try to conduct business as usual, siphoning all extra dollars out of the business, and then are surprised when they aren’t prepared for a spike in fuel expenses.
@bearymore: I flew earlier this year, and my plane didn’t have a drinking water dispenser on it. I’d venture to say that they’ve gone out of fashion.
This is ridiculous… The airlines are the only industry that can stay in business without giving a rats ass about customer service… “Uhm.. We cancelled your flight just because we could”.. “Great can I get a voucher for a room?” “No because we aren’t obligated to provide you a place to stay”
I travel often for business… Hate American because they left me stranded more then once… Now they charge for everything… Fine, reimbursed expense… But charging for water when we pay upwards of 2k for a ticket is ridiculous. Fuel Prices have always been expensive in other parts of the world.
As long as they make it clear going in that there are no freebies, I don’t think it’s immoral. Shitty, yes. Crap like this is why I stick with Southwest. I know that isn’t an option for everybody, however.
@MorrisseyTheCat: Name one flight brought down by a liquid explosive since 9/11. One.
This puts passengers at jeopardy.
@BaysideWrestling: You obviously didn’t read the npr link in my post or you’d know. RTFP then reply
“immoral” is not the right word. Refusing to allow another human being water (a vital element for survival) while they are in captivity (at the airline’s mercy as to when they’ll be let off the mothership) unless they pay a fee (or jump)….. that stinks of torture and extortion to me.
If this is allowed to go on, just think.. some marketing genius will get chart happy and go “hey, if we feed them salted peanuts and then delay our takeoff by 25min.. we can increase our water sales by xxx dollars!”
remember that horrendous story about the girl that got jizzed on by the dirty old man that was sitting next to her while she was sleeping?? I wonder if the stewardess’ would charge her for water to clean herself up. Charging for water is just such a post-apocalyptic cliche.. ie: fly the friendly skies with MAD MAX AIRLINES!
I’ve been to resteraunts that have done this. Repeatedly. Mind you, they were greasy fast-food burger joints, which is a strike against them to start with, but I digress. The story would go down something like this:
Myself: Hi, yes. I’d like (insert generic burger combo of your choice)
Cashier-Type Person: Okay, and to drink?
M: Just water.
CTP: I’m sorry, what?
M: Water?
CTP: I’m sorry sir, I can’t do that. It’s against store policy.
IT’S AGAINST STORE POLICY. Oh well, I guess I’ll just pay for your overpriced gallon of caffiene and be on my way. The first time, I just shrugged, chalked it up to it being “The New Guy”, and walked off.
The second, Third, and FOURTH times? At the same chain? I stopped buying my midday meal from them at that point.
What kind of store deprives its customers of a basic necessity to live?
Wendy’s of Canada. :3
It is beyond immoral to not provide another person with water when you have a ready supply of it and they have no other chance of getting it.
It is one of the most basic responsibilities that people have to each other. Even Arizona, a state where personal responsibility is pretty highly respected, has a law requiring that you provide water to anyone who knocks on your door asking for it.
The situation on a plane aggravates this to the highest degree.
You can’t just count on bringing your own water on. Of the 5 or so times I have flown in the past year, on one of those occasions Continental took my unopened water that I bought immediately next to the gate.
I still think it’s wrong to not let someone bring what is obviously just water into any place. It is a necessity of life.
I have the highest contempt for laws that prohibit drinking of water in public places, and could possibly result in imprisonment if you are caught. In train stations that are routinely over 100 degrees, you’re not allowed to posess an open container of water. That’s a law I will happily ignore, and hopefully end up in front of the Supreme Court, protecting mankind’s access to drinkable water.