Passengers will drink to that.
Southwest Airlines is expanding its in-flight beverage options after a nearly two-year hiatus from selling alcoholic beverages due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Customers have expressed a desire for more beverage options, so we’re delighted to restore additional on-board offerings as a part of the Southwest Hospitality,” said Southwest Airlines Vice President of Customer Experience and Customer Relations Tony Roach.
PASSENGERS WHO PARTIES MASKLESS ON PLANE NOW STUCK IN MEXICO AFTER AIRLINE REFUSES TO FLY THEM HOME
The airline announced on Friday that it would offer additional beverages both alcoholic and nonalcoholic on flights at least 176 miles long after pausing beverage options since March 2020, according to a Thursday press release.
Southwest workers union TWU Local 556 President Lyn Montgomery called the move to resume alcohol sales “unsafe and irresponsible” in an email to the Washington Examiner.
“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 non-compliance and misconduct issues,” Montgomery said.
The airline originally planned to bring back alcoholic beverages last June but held off after a flight attendant was attacked by an unruly passenger, according to the Hill.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Some of the beverages returning include tonic water, Coke Zero, Dr Pepper, Miller Lite, Blue Moon, sparkling wine, chardonnay, vodka, and cabernet sauvignon, among others. The new beverages will be added to the current offerings of Coca-Cola, Diet Coca-Cola, and ginger ale, among others.
Incidents among unruly passengers have risen in the last year, prompting airlines to express caution in easing some of their coronavirus-related policies. In 2021, nearly 72% of reports of 5,981 unruly passengers logged by the Federal Aviation Administration were mask-related incidents.
