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Home » United Airlines » United Airlines Updates Onboard Alcohol Policy
NewsUnited Airlines

United Airlines Updates Onboard Alcohol Policy

Matthew Klint Posted onJuly 27, 2023November 13, 2023 53 Comments

a glass of liquid on a table

United Airlines will update its onboard alcohol policy to allow customers to enjoy two drinks at once, returning to a pre-pandemic policy concerning doubles or mixed drinks.

United Airlines Updates Alcohol Policy – Two Drinks At Once Now Permitted

During the pandemic, United Airlines eliminated alcohol altogether onboard. When onboard alcohol returned several months later, it was first limited to premium cabins only. Eventually, alcohol sales resumed in economy class, though under a strict new rule: one drink per passenger at a time.

The goal at the time was to reduce opportunities to for passengers to remove their masks while onboard and also reduce the chance of any flight disturbances that are often fueled by alcohol.

But as flying has essentially returned to pre-pandemic normal, passengers will once again be able to order two drinks at once on United.

A short memo shared with Live And Let’s Fly simply states:

United Inflight Service policy will be updated to return to the pre-pandemic standard of allowing flight attendants to serve customers two alcoholic beverages at once when requested, replacing the current one alcoholic beverage per customer policy.

Please follow SOPs to ensure customers don’t become intoxicated. This includes following the traffic light system, which helps to avoid safety threats and regulatory violations.

This has theoretically already been possible by asking nicely or by holding the first drink and then requesting a second drink a few moments later, but it now becomes policy.

It is not clear when this new policy kicks in.

The Association of Flight Attendants, the union representing United flight attendants, has not publicly offered any feedback on this policy change and it is not clear if it was consulted prior to this policy change.

CONCLUSION

United Airlines will offer doubles onboard once again, a move that will increase alcohol sales but may also lead to more incidents of unruly passengers. You will soon be able to order two alcoholic drinks at once.

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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53 Comments

  1. styleonthegothurston Reply
    July 27, 2023 at 9:51 am

    Fabulous decision to stimulate the Karens and MAGA morons on board. Good grief. Fix Newark instead.

    • N macchiavelli Reply
      July 27, 2023 at 1:38 pm

      First fix your brain

      • Angel Reply
        July 28, 2023 at 9:53 am

        Fix your community

    • Etienne Reply
      July 28, 2023 at 10:02 am

      You most be demograte, why focus on maga people.

      • T- Reply
        July 28, 2023 at 12:31 pm

        The word that you tried to spell is (Democrat).

      • Barney Beanstalk Reply
        July 28, 2023 at 9:00 pm

        wig too loose, Toulouse

    • T- Reply
      July 28, 2023 at 12:29 pm

      I agree fully.

    • Loretta Jackson Reply
      July 29, 2023 at 9:02 am

      Can we maybe not be a bot deployed to sow division? Thanks.

      Truth of the matter is most Americans agree on most things. The insane Antifa nazis and the sicko fundamentalist Christians should go to an island and duke it out

      (Antifa would lose in about 1 second because they’re not even sure what gender they are, imagine that. Disgusting purple-haired pedos.).

      • Jack M Reply
        July 29, 2023 at 1:04 pm

        Your answer betrayal your sentiments snowflake. Most Americans don’t agree on most things because one side has been systematically brainwashed by having their own networks consistently feed into all of their fears. Add a fanatical use of social media platforms that admit they are designed to feed you echo chamber material to make you think that “most people agree with you”. News flash, they don’t. Antifa barely exists, it’s a Boogeyman that they dangle in front of you so you will keep watching and keep clicking.

  2. Santastico Reply
    July 27, 2023 at 10:06 am

    Two drinks at once? That’s interesting. Not sure why anyone would need to have two drinks at the same time but who knows. I find amazing how much people drink on planes. Just last Sunday on a 7:30am flight the guy next to me on Delta first class ordered a Jack Daniel’s. At 7:30am? 🙂

    • Jan Reply
      July 27, 2023 at 10:19 am

      It’s 5:00pm somewhere!

      • Santastico Reply
        July 27, 2023 at 10:56 am

        LOL! Not sure if his stomach knows that.

        • Loretta Jackson Reply
          July 29, 2023 at 9:03 am

          I’m sorry, missy, but some of us like a GT to start and chardonnay afterwards.

          Now go clutch your pearls somewhere in your local Walmart where you belong and never – and I mean, never – pretend you’re European again.

    • Mike Reply
      July 27, 2023 at 10:24 am

      Airports and airplanes all social norms go out the window for alcohol. We all know it

    • Chris@Oak Reply
      July 27, 2023 at 12:43 pm

      International flights, UA FAs are clearing biz meal trays without asking if a second or refill is desired.
      With dessert carts, they don’t load them with after dinner spirits or port.

      Definitely ask for a double! Meal service is rushed with FAs do a minimal service.

    • Alan Reply
      July 27, 2023 at 10:13 pm

      I’ll be happy to grab both of the Old Fashioned cocktails they bring on board, since someone usually grabs the other one once they see mine

    • Jason Reply
      July 29, 2023 at 5:55 am

      You can’t really judge someone you don’t know. Maybe they are flying to a funeral or were up all night for some reason. As a flight attendant, I never question when or why someone is drinking.

      • Jack M Reply
        July 29, 2023 at 1:06 pm

        Maybe you should. If someone is drinking for the wrong reasons they are far more likely to become an issue once you have over served then.

    • RPCV Reply
      July 29, 2023 at 11:14 am

      He may be an international traveler and his body home time zone may be 5pm.

  3. Billy Bob Reply
    July 27, 2023 at 10:16 am

    Maybe he was nervous about sitting next to such an amazing person that he needed to calm his jitters

    • Santastico Reply
      July 27, 2023 at 10:57 am

      Still wearing your diapers @Billy Bob? Better get that potty training going.

      • Billy Bob Reply
        July 27, 2023 at 11:08 am

        They didn’t teach us how to do that at the Big Ten University I went to. That must be something you only learn how to do at an Ivy League school. That’s why you’re so great!

        • Santastico Reply
          July 27, 2023 at 11:18 am

          Yes, it must be great to live in high rise. I get it.

        • David Reply
          July 27, 2023 at 10:39 pm

          Drink Wisconsinably

        • Jack M Reply
          July 29, 2023 at 1:09 pm

          It’s cute that you are proud to have attended a school that spends more on sports than education. State schoolers always act like they wouldn’t have gone to an ivy if they could have, but everyone knows they most likely got rejected or didn’t even bother to apply.

  4. Ted Striker Reply
    July 27, 2023 at 11:27 am

    Based on a recent article about an intoxicated United Airlines Captain, maybe the request came from the cockpit?

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      July 28, 2023 at 3:32 am

      Will address this today.

  5. Jan Reply
    July 27, 2023 at 11:41 am

    https://onemileatatime.com/news/intoxicated-united-captain-flight-cancellation/

    Funny timing from your colleague!

    • Maryland Reply
      July 27, 2023 at 12:07 pm

      @ Jan

      Le Parisien was reporting the pilot’s alcohol level at .132 or six times the French legal limit ( which you would think should be zero)

      • Etienne Reply
        July 28, 2023 at 10:06 am

        100% hi agreat, there have on there hand life of 300 plus passenger when flying ,safety first

  6. Jesda Gulati Reply
    July 27, 2023 at 12:57 pm

    I ordered a double on a recent flight and both bottles were handed to me opened (usually I open one at a time on my own to avoid accidental spillage). I knocked an entire mini bottle of bourbon on an old fellow next to me, soaking part of his leg. Feeling bad about what I’d done, I paid for his and his wife’s drinks. I discovered when the tab arrived that they both drank a lot. 😀

  7. Stuart Reply
    July 27, 2023 at 1:23 pm

    I guess Pilots are allowed even more. Given the latest news.

    • Maryland Reply
      July 27, 2023 at 1:32 pm

      @ Stuart

      They must have not the memo early

  8. Jerry Reply
    July 27, 2023 at 2:20 pm

    This is welcome news. I was eating a rotisserie chicken on PHL-LAX last week, and when I ordered a rum & Coke, the stewardess refused to make me a double. Fortunately I stashed a few beers in my bag before I boarded, but come on, let a man eat and have a strong cocktail for goodness sake!

  9. Yasmin Reply
    July 27, 2023 at 4:39 pm

    Allowing passengers to order either a double or two drinks at the same time reduces the wear and tear on FA’s. I should think that FA’s would be relieved at this return to pre-pandemic service.

  10. Justsaying Reply
    July 28, 2023 at 12:57 am

    The alcoholics can rejoice

  11. Jack Reply
    July 28, 2023 at 6:00 am

    Lushes can now reck the flight with glee once again.

  12. RYAN Reply
    July 28, 2023 at 6:42 am

    The few times I’ve seen flight attendants explain this policy to passengers it’s followed the same script of “I can’t serve you two at a time, but just as soon as your first one is done, I’ll bring you a second”. Customers in First who are going to have two drinks are going to have them regardless of whether they have to order them them one at a time, so seems like a policy change that both saves time and the need for flight attendants to have to explain the policy each time and avoid arguments. No doubt FAs can continue to refuse to serve any alcohol to passengers who are already intoxicated.

  13. David M Hoffman Reply
    July 28, 2023 at 8:04 am

    Good to read this. Now I may order 2 rooted beers or 2 gingered ales at the same time.

  14. Angel Reply
    July 28, 2023 at 9:55 am

    If you MUST have a booze on a flight, you ought to bypass your destination and go straight to rehab.

    • Loretta Jackson Reply
      July 29, 2023 at 10:01 am

      Oh I’m sorry, I believe Mexico is -> that way.

      BYE-O, SAFE-O TRAVELS-O HOME-O!

  15. Gt Reply
    July 28, 2023 at 10:30 am

    Alcoholic drink inflt: 1 drink per 2 hrs flightime on domestic flts and 1 drink every 4 hrs on international flts both served with a waterback.

    • Loretta Jackson Reply
      July 29, 2023 at 10:02 am

      I’ll have a bottle of chard if I see fit and no American with man-boobs is going to change that.

  16. viapanam Reply
    July 28, 2023 at 1:01 pm

    Great, Let’s just get drunk faster so we can cause more passenger conduct issues onboard.

  17. FlyingRev Reply
    July 28, 2023 at 2:07 pm

    What’s the difference between a FedEx pilot and a United Airline pilot?

    The United pilot gets hammered before boarding the flight….

    UA really needs to get the abuse of alcohol issues resolved by their pilots.

  18. JimATL Reply
    July 28, 2023 at 7:10 pm

    Have been able to order doubles in DL Comfort Plus since they went back to serving alcohol in the back. What is the big deal? Does UA Corporate know better than the FAs on board?

    Airlines need to concentrate on running smooth operations!

  19. ChiFlyer42 Reply
    July 29, 2023 at 12:45 am

    About time… will be more efficient for the FAs on long hauls so people don’t have to ring their call button for a second drink.

    • Dawn Russell Reply
      July 29, 2023 at 8:42 am

      It isn’t that flight attendants are doing a minimal service, it is the staffing is minimal.

  20. F/A Reply
    July 29, 2023 at 7:50 am

    2 alcoholic beverages in the air equals 4 on the ground. Just something for your “good to know” locker. I’ve been a F/A for 49 years.

  21. HappyMillenial Reply
    July 29, 2023 at 3:59 pm

    What in the actual boomer hell is this comment section? You people need to go hang out with your Qanon buddies over on 4chan.

  22. Kevin Reply
    August 1, 2023 at 2:52 am

    At least I can have a strong drink while I marvel at how lazy and uninspired the Polaris food is.

  23. Melanie Wilson Reply
    August 7, 2023 at 3:40 pm

    The judgement on this post is shocking and I can bet the majority of comments are from Americans. I travel all over the world and your 7am is not the same as everyone else’s. I had been traveling for 14 hours straight and had no idea what time zone I was on but wanted a drink. The “lady” next to me said, “a vodka at 7am” Mins your own business!

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      August 7, 2023 at 5:29 pm

      Maybe you can clarify where the judgment is in my post. Thank you in advance.

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