Southwest Airlines mentioned Friday that it deliberate to begin serving alcohol on flights later this month, almost two years after it suspended the service amid COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic restrictions.
The transfer, opposed by the union representing the airline’s flight attendants, will make American Airlines the final of the 4 main airways nonetheless not permitting alcohol gross sales for many passengers.
Saying that clients have expressed a want for extra beverage choices, Southwest introduced that it will restore the sale of alcoholic drinks beginning Feb. 16 on flights of 176 miles or longer. The airline additionally mentioned that it will develop its nonalcoholic choices.
Officials from the union that represents the airline’s flight attendants mentioned they have been “outraged” on the “unsafe and irresponsible” choice.
“We have adamantly and unequivocally informed management that resuming sales of alcohol while the mask mandate is in place has the great potential to increase customer noncompliance and misconduct issues,” Lyn Montgomery, president of TWU Local 556, mentioned in a press release.
A federal mandate requires that passengers put on masks always whereas within the airport and through flights, besides whereas consuming, consuming or taking medicines for temporary durations. Enforcement of the mandate has led to abusive passenger conduct, together with assaults of flight attendants.
The chief govt of Delta Air Lines mentioned in a letter despatched Thursday to the lawyer basic, Merrick B. Garland, that the federal government ought to put passengers convicted of disrupting flights on a no-fly checklist, calling it a “much-needed step” towards addressing a spike in violence aboard planes.
A spokeswoman for American Airlines mentioned on Friday that the corporate had not but set a date for the return of alcohol in the primary cabins of planes. Alcohol is offered in firstclass. She mentioned the airline would work carefully with its union and medical specialists to find out when alcohol gross sales will return to the primary cabins.
Delta Air Lines resumed alcohol gross sales in its fundamental cabins in April, and United Airlines did so in November.
In May, Southwest Airlines introduced that it had paused plans to renew serving alcohol on flights, citing the “recent uptick industrywide of incidents in-flight involving disruptive passengers.”
“We realize this decision will be disappointing for some customers, but we feel it to be the right decision now in the interest of safety and comfort of all onboard,” the assertion on the time mentioned.
It was unclear what had modified since then. A spokesman for the airline declined to remark past the corporate’s official assertion.