Originally Posted by storewanderer

I am glad you point out it isn't Southwest this is happening on. But at the end of the day the decision to cancel service is made by the captain. I am not sure if somehow there is some financial incentive for the captain to make the decision to cancel service on these airlines? I don't think the captains are graded or paid based on flight profitability? I don't think saving $400 on sodas/snacks will really help whatever profit sharing program they run.

However here is one theory- let's say the plane is late for flight 123. If they are fully stocked for service on flight 123 then cancel service on flight 123, can they in theory turn the plane around faster at the next destination? I know the turnaround process with baggage, replenishment of service items, etc. is supposed to happen simultaneously but it doesn't always. So could some captains look for a reason to cancel service to try to "make up some time" during the next turnaround?

Originally Posted by GoldenArgosy

Southwest only has ground personnel come onto the airplane and refresh the drink/snack supplies in a fraction of their cities. Southwest serves approximately 100 cities and I believe only between 15-20 of those cities have employees who replenish catering supplies.

So the number of flights that would make up any time during the turnaround by not providing service on the inbound flight is probably very limited.