This morning on a US Airways Express (Allegheny) flight SYR-BOS, the flight attendant told me I had to throw away my full cup of coffee (Flavia, from the Club, with a lid) before we could taxi. "No food and beverage allowed," she said, unless it's "stowed." This was certainly a first for me -- anybody know if this is a new rule, a rarely enforced rule, or just a bad morning?

David

This morning on a US Airways Express (Allegheny) flight SYR-BOS, the flight attendant told me I had to throw away my full cup of coffee (Flavia, from the Club, with a lid) before we could taxi. "No food and beverage allowed," she said, unless it's "stowed." This was certainly a first for me -- anybody know if this is a new rule, a rarely enforced rule, or just a bad morning?

David

I seem to remember being on an AA flight a couple years ago from JFK-Barbados. We were stuck on the ground for a while...so they passed out drinks. Before we were able to take off...they made an announcement that all service items had to be collected before take off.

On the other hand, I've gotten onboard US Express flights w/drinks before (specifically coffee) and never had a problem.

So I'm guessing maybe that's the rule - but its usually not enforced?

-Chris

This morning on a US Airways Express (Allegheny) flight SYR-BOS, the flight attendant told me I had to throw away my full cup of coffee (Flavia, from the Club, with a lid) before we could taxi. "No food and beverage allowed," she said, unless it's "stowed."
David

It would have been easily stow-able had it been in a cockroach stainless steel mug. :D

I seem to remember being on an AA flight a couple years ago from JFK-Barbados. We were stuck on the ground for a while...so they passed out drinks. Before we were able to take off...they made an announcement that all service items had to be collected before take off.


-Chris

The rule has been (at least on mainline) is that anything they serve has to be collected but you can keep what you bring on. Never heard of a separate rule for Express but some wacky things have been said to me like you can only bring on one carry on when I had a very small bag that fits into the overhead and my personal bag(computer bag). She relented when she said the flight is empty so it should not be a problem. The overhead on Express is usually empty because everyone gate checks their rollaboards. So much for the one carry on and personal bag rule.

Also have had Express FA go into detail about following crew member instructions or else you will be met by the law. Thought it was overkill. Looked for the whips and chains but found none. :D

Technically, the FAA considers anything other than loose clothing to be a carry-on item. Therefore, it must be stowed in an approved location.

Below are excerpts from an FAA report on "CABIN SAFETY AND FLIGHT ATTENDANT MANAGEMENT." (The bolding is mine)

B. Part 121 requires all carry-on items, other than articles of loose clothing, to be stowed in a suitable closet, baggage or cargo stowage compartment, including an overhead rack having doors or restraints, or under a passenger seat that is fitted with a means to prevent stowed articles from sliding forward in the passenger compartment or sideward into the aisle.

2361. STOWAGE OF GALLEY SERVICE ITEMS. Part 121 § 121.577, prohibits an air carrier from moving on the surface, taking off, or landing an airplane when any food, beverage, or tableware, furnished by the air carrier, is located at any passenger seat. In an emergency situation requiring evacuation, litter from food service of any kind (including coffee and rolls) can be hazardous due to poor footing. Accordingly, part 121 prohibits serving any food or beverage, regardless of the type of containers used, during movement on the surface, takeoff, and landing. In addition, any food item or container that the passenger carries on board the aircraft would be considered carry-on baggage and must be properly stowed, in accordance with part 121, for movement on the surface, takeoff, and landing.
While this is what the FARs say, in my experience, they are rarely enforced as such.

Any way that a person can be prevented from bringing a large, poorly contained cup of liquid is a good idea. Last month I was on a flight where a lady, with her large cup of java, spilled the entire contents on someone elses seat while attempting to store her luggage.

Same thing goes for those who must bring a full dinner on board for the rest of us to smell. If you didn't bring enough for everbody, don't bring any for yourself! :mad:

I wonder if putting the coffee in the front pouch would count as "stowing" it. :)

Same thing goes for those who must bring a full dinner on board for the rest of us to smell. If you didn't bring enough for everbody, don't bring any for yourself! :mad:

Well, I don't know what you term a "full dinner," but I almost always bring my own food on board, stowed in my carry-on. If the airlines aren't going to give us meals anymore (as precious few do), and I'm flying during lunch or dinner time, I think I'm entitled to bring a meal. Sorry, but a tiny bag of snack mix just doesn't cut it for a four-hour flight! Some flights have grossly overpriced Buy on Board meals and some don't, and there's no guarantee they won't run out before they get to you anyway. Usually I just bring a sandwich and chips, eat it during the drink service when everyone else is eating/drinking, and avoid stinky foods like tuna (that's just common courtesy.) I don't see anything wrong, in principle, with someone bringing their own meal to eat.

scirel,

Noticed you were from DEN. Did you see the story on the news tonight about the baby returning home after being scalded by coffee when the cart tilted on the US Air flight to BOS ? No doubt, the single cup on the Express flight (unstowed) would not have caused the damage the full pot supplied by the airline did to that baby's head.

Sooner

scirel,

Noticed you were from DEN. Did you see the story on the news tonight about the baby returning home after being scalded by coffee when the cart tilted on the US Air flight to BOS ? No doubt, the single cup on the Express flight (unstowed) would not have caused the damage the full pot supplied by the airline did to that baby's head.

Sooner

Wow -- I hadn't heard about that. That's pretty scary. :eek: Imagine how the FA felt after that accident (not to mention the baby). In fact, that's one of the reasons I almost never bring or ask for hot drinks on an airplane...because all it takes is some sudden turbulence for it to end up in someone's lap -- either mine or my seatmate's.

scirel,

Noticed you were from DEN. Did you see the story on the news tonight about the baby returning home after being scalded by coffee when the cart tilted on the US Air flight to BOS ? No doubt, the single cup on the Express flight (unstowed) would not have caused the damage the full pot supplied by the airline did to that baby's head.

Sooner

Anybody got a link to this story? I told my wife about it (from this thread) and she couldn't believe it.

Falling pot of coffee scalds baby on flight
By Herald staff/ Local briefs
Friday, July 2, 2004

An infant is recovering after coffee burned the baby on a New York-to-Boston flight this week. The 19-month-old on the US Airways flight was burned on the neck, head and face when a pot of coffee fell from a beverage cart on Tuesday.

Flight attendants rushed the baby to the front of the plane to soothe the burns with cold water. Paramedics met the plane when it landed, and brought the baby to Shriners' Burns Institute.

The ``unfortunate'' incident is under investigation, said US Airways in a statement apologizing for the pain and suffering caused to the boy and his family.

-Boston Herald