Drink up that can of coffee, water, or ginger ale, and leave your money tucked away, champ!
US Airways has figured out that the bad press it received for being the only major U.S. airline to charge for soft drinks wasn’t worth the revenue it collected for coffee, water, and soda. So it’s no longer charging the soft drink fee, effective Saturday.
Not to mention the fact that clever passengers were getting around the fee by paying with $20 bills…
No wonder US Airways flight attendants released this statement:
“Flight attendants are safety professionals first and foremost,” [Mike Flores, president of the US Airways' unit of the Association of Flight Attendants] said. “This decision by the company will help return us to that status rather than being salespeople in the aisle of the airplane.”
This gives Southwest one less piece of ammunition with which to relentlessly mock the competition.
It’s a small gesture, and a minor but nonetheless appreciated act of restoring dignity to air travel. So thanks for bringing it back, US Airways.
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February 22nd, 2009 at 11:47 pm
On the upside the US airways drink service was started and done within 20 mins tops, leaving the isle free. The vast majority or people let the cart pass rather than fork over cash for a drink. Or at least that was the case on the 2 hour trips I take on US air.
February 23rd, 2009 at 8:17 am
but… this still means that using a pillow is still 7 bucks per use?
February 23rd, 2009 at 10:30 am
Louie, US Airways now has a “Power Nap-Sack”™ ($7) that covers the pillow, blanket, etc. Still looks like a rip to me.
http://www.usairways.com/awa/content/traveltools/intheair/foodandbeverages/powernapsack.aspx
February 23rd, 2009 at 10:55 am
Hi Mark,
I have been meaning to ask you this for a while and it is somewhat connected with this post. Do you think that since oil prices have come back to earth that airlines will lift restrictions on baggage allowances? Especially the 23kg/50 lb limit per bag that all airlines imposed on coach class passengers who travel to and fro from the US as a cost cutting but revenue generating measure?