American Airlines CEO Doug Parker confirmed what we longed suspected: when passengers are not sold alcohol onboard, they bring it themselves and consume it illicitly, often in larger quantities than the portion-controlled miniature bottles available onboard.
American Airlines CEO Admits More Passengers Bring Their Own Alcohol When It Isn’t Sold Onboard
In an employee question and answer session, Parker conceded that AA has “more customers bringing on alcohol than they should have” and that “intoxicated passengers…are not allowed on the airplane, they’re a safety risk…no one should be on the airplane that’s intoxicated.”
That’s clear enough. But what is the root cause? Parker blames the lack of alcohol sales onboard.
“I’m sure there’s more of it than there has been because customers understand they can’t get a drink on board. So that’s a new phenomenon as well and we can’t let it happen. Please take it away from them as soon as you see it.”
But practically, how is that accomplished? Start inspecting all carry-on items? Sniff water bottles or paper coffee cups for traces of alcohol? Large bottles of alcohol may not be allowed in carry-on baggage, but it is easy enough to buy alcohol in terminal restaurants and then take it onboard.
Parker pins the solution on confiscating alcohol as soon as it is seen:
As to people bringing their own alcohol on, that’s not just our policy that’s an FAR. That’s a federal regulation. Customers are not allowed to bring their own alcohol on the aircraft…
I’ll defer to the people that know this better than me, but what I’ve been told is what you are to do is to confiscate the alcohol. And depending on how intoxicated they are deal with that as well. But the alcohol needs to be confiscated. You can choose whether you give it back to them at the end of the flight. But we confiscate alcohol when we see it. People can’t bring their own alcohol on airplanes…that cannot be tolerated.
There’s nothing I disagree with in Parker’s statement, however it strikes me as incredibly reactive rather than proactive, sort of like treating lung cancer after it develops instead of working to prevent it from ever appearing in the first place.
By all means, take the alcohol away if someone pulls out a flask or a bottle of water that smells more like hand sanitizer. But the solution to the problem isn’t to put out every flareup, but to stop it from happening in the first place.
As bad as flying was in economy class during the pre-pandemic era, there are only a limited number of things that can explain why passengers seemed to be so better behaved. Masks are one possible explanation. Alcohol is another.
CONCLUSION
With the Delta COVID-19 variant now rearing its ugly head, I suggest airlines try bringing back alcohol onboard . Consider it an experiment. I’ll still be drinking water and would advise you to do the same, but suspect that even with masks still required, this will quickly help ease tensions and conflict onboard. It’s at least worth a shot…
(H/T: View From The Wing // original image: davitydave)
I really don’t understand why people need to drink alcohol while on a plane BUT I find disgusting that the Government and airlines are still treating the pandemic like it was before the vaccines were available when anyone are offered a free beer to get the vaccine. Keeping the mask mandate inside airports and airplanes, not serving any food and most drinks on board and treating passengers like everyone will die if we don’t follow their Neanderthal rules is a recipe for disaster. Then they complain about unruly passengers.
A lot of people are afraid of flying. A drink reduces their anxiety levels.
Maybe because if 1/3 of the country is dumb & gullible enough to believe The Big Lie, they will be similarly biased by a free Natty Light…one can dream
The Biggest Lie is that the government exists to help you. Of course, authoritarian collectivists like UA-TDS get off on the Biggest Lie and want to shove it down the throats of others. Follow the science as it has been dictated to me!
Good luck outrunning Darwinism, anti-vaxxing chump!
Parker is dead wrong about what the FAR’s say about bringing alcohol on planes.
Passengers are in fact allowed to bring alcohol on board. They are allowed by regulation to consume that alcohol. What the regulation requires is that the alcohol be served to them by the flight attendants.
It would be nice if the CEO of one of the worlds largest airlines would actually take the time to know what the rules are before he starts spouting off. Shouldn’t he have a staff that can do that for him?
Now American may have a policy that prohibits passengers from consuming their own alcohol and does not permit FA’s to serve it to them as provided in the FAR’s but policy is not regulation.
It’s just like the nonsense about masks being required by law. Uhh no. Their is no federal law that requires masks. What we have is a regulation promulgated by a Federal Agency. Regulations are not laws.
You are 100% right about masks not being federal law, but a regulation. It is amazing how many people do not know the difference between a law and a regulation.
It’s like they didn’t pay attention in middle school social studies/civics class
Imagine if people had to take a basic civics class in order to vote? Maybe we’d actually have competent leaders as only competent voters would be voting
Stop it, Derek. That idea is making me tumescent.
That is literal white supremacy!
You do know I am a mixed race man?
Isn’t it racist to say that only whites are educated?
And only white folx are capable of getting state identification. More white supremacy. Fortunately Uncle Joe and the DNC will save black folx from systemic racism.
Good old Biden!
Most racist president since Woodrow Wilson
Yet Republicans, the ones who ended slavery and pushed through civil rights, are the ones branded as racists
Just flew this morning and all the announcements at the airport says that masks are mandatory following an executive order from the president of the United States. If that is not the case maybe they should update the airports. It is a total nonsense to offer money for people to get the vaccine and then force them to wear masks.
If we had 100% compliance about the vaccine then I might agree about wearing masks on airplanes. But the sad fact is we can’t even hit the 70% mark for vaccines. The people who work on the planes deserve some protection from those who refuse to be vaccinated. So quit your whinging and wear the darn masks! Do we really need a law to govern human decency?
Sorry but having trouble having sympathy for folks who can’t handle flights without alcohol. I mean, yeah, I like a bloody Mary too but I think I can handle waiting till I arrive before indulging. Airlines might build up their coffers selling booze where they have control over how much to sell. But quit acting like frat boys sneaking in your own booze in thermos! What the pandemic has shown us is how immature and selfish some folks can make a flight miserable for the majority of sane folks.
Regulation or law? Why does it matter? Just do the right thing!
What does it matter if someone unvaccinated does not wear a mask? They are not a danger to themselves or others. That’s the CDCs own data
Contrary to what some think, these vaccines prevent infection, not merely symptoms
If they are a carrier it does matter. The ability to spread is increased without masks. Children, teens are more a5 risk when exposed to Covid. Not to mention any other at risk on plane. You can drive a car without a seatbelt and odds are you will not have an accident. But if you do, that seatbelt will come in handy. Why would anyone care about wearing a mask in a plane? There is no reason not to comply. Bothers someone? Fine drive. I am vaccinated but if a place requires a mask I comply. Called being considerate…
You are not understanding the science. It is VERY unlikely that a fully vaccinated person is a carrier.
Please look at how few breakthrough infections have occurred among fully vaccinated people. Last number I saw form the CDC is 1 in 10,000. You have a better chance of winning big in Vegas.
This vaccine is far more effective than other vaccines that we accept without issue. No vaccine provides 100% infection
Here is more
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/25/covid-breakthrough-cases-cdc-says-more-than-4100-people-have-been-hospitalized-or-died-after-vaccination.html
““You are just as likely to be killed by a meteorite as die from Covid after a vaccine,” Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease expert at the University of California San Francisco, told CNBC. “In the big scheme of things, the vaccines are tremendously powerful.””
In the rare event of a breakthrough infection, it is not the job of the vaccinated to take care of the anti vaxxers. Kids probably shouldn’t be flying until they are vaccinated (though this virus affects them much less than adults)
Oh yes!!! Because the mask you bought at Etsy will protect you against all viruses. What a joke!!!! Have you seen doctors wearing cloth masks during surgeries? Have you ever thought why not?
Got a kick out of her comparing a seat belt to a mask, when the better comparison was a seat belt to the vaccine
Asking FA or other crew members to force or even request passengers to involuntarily surrender their personal alcohol stash is a recipe for a serious conflict, more so if they have already been drinking.
In my experience trying to negotiate with individuals who have been drinking never ends well.
I agree with Mike – telling FAs that they have to force someone to give up the alcohol they brought on board due to the fact that the airline chooses not to serve alcohol for some limited time because reasons sounds like a recipe for disaster to me. If the FAs actually enforced it, which if I was one I would not so long as they are not bothering anybody.
American is plainly trying to reduce costs. Their business strategy is charging more for worse service so vivid is a nice excuse. A lot of people have high anxiety levels in a plane : they may be afraid of flying or just pissed about wearing a mask. Give people A drink, it will reduce anxiety levels. Delta serves alcohol and they don’t have a problem doing so.