THE FRIENDLY SKIES ARE BACK? –
Feb. 4, 2022 – On Southwest, non-alcoholic beverage service will also be expanded on February 16 to include options such as tonic water, Coke Zero and hot chocolate. The beverage service is available on flights of 176 miles or more. “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 that our customers know and love,” said Tony Roach, vice president of Southwest customer experience and customer relations, in the news release. The union representing Southwest Airlines flight attendants says resuming alcohol service is “unsafe and irresponsible.”
Lyn Montgomery of TWU Local 556 says that the union fought Southwest on the move, saying that it makes it hard to enforce the federal mask mandate on board flights as puts flight attendants risk. “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 in a statement.
