No more alcoholic pre-departure drinks in Missouri?
 

Flying STL-DFW this afternoon, the crew said they could not serve any alcoholic beverages on the ground in STL due to a new Missouri law which went into effect in May. Being from STL, I'm pretty sure that I've had / seen alcoholic beverages served pre-departure since May.

I know there are laws in some cities/states that restrict what can be served (especially on Sundays) but I've neither seen or heard anything that would indicate this is a state law.

The crew was definitely willing to serve anything else we wanted, so it didn't seem like a lazy crew. Perhaps they were just confused?

Anyone else with any recent (or not so recent experiences) out of STL, MCI or SGF?

Thanks,
Greg

MCI / STL
 

Flew out of both MCI and STL in the last six months, and the former did not serve alcoholic pre-flight drinks but the latter did. I'm guessing it also depends on the flight crew and whether they are aware of this new law?

The thought process behind that law is a little baffling given that if Missouri is worried about excessive consumption they shouldn't care about people about to fly away from their state!

I haven't been offered a pre-departure from MCI in so long, I can't even remember when the last one was. I don't think this had anything to do with a law though, as I think I am generally only offered on about 10% of my flights anyway.

I'm finding that I'm batting .300 on the PFD irrespective of location in morning flights... and when I do get it, it's champale, mimosa, juice or water...
When flying in the afternoon, I'm averaging .500... was in MCI 2 weeks ago and no dice on the PFD.

the Personal Floatation Device (PFD) is located under your seat. You have to get it yourself. ;)

Liquor may not be sold or served in the following stations while on the ground, though liquor may be served in-flight to/from these stations:

Connecticut, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Wyoming

Hartford (BDL)
Jackson Hole (JAC)
Kansas City (MCI)
Oklahoma City (OKC)
Tulsa (TUL)
Wichita (ICT)
Saint Louis (STL)

Texas:
Liquor may not be sold or served on the ground prior to noon on Sundays and between Monday through Saturday between midnight and 7am.
Liquor may be sold and served on flights operating within the state of TX prior to noon on Sundays

Hope this helps you to understand any confusion for these cities and the serving of alcohol.

Thanks sluggoaafa. That probably cut off a thousand posts.

About the law's existence/what it says yes... about the merits or lack therefore, I dunno.

Except if you serve "food" with the drink, i.e., chips, peanuts, etc.

Blue laws at 39,000 feet. In the 1970s they wouldn't serve alcohol over Kansas airspace as we transited the state on transcons.

Except that the merits of the law have nothing to do with AA.

Cheers.

And debating them would move this to OMNI.

sluggoaafa, thank you for posting this clarification! ^

I guess you won't be known as the "face that launched a thousand posts"... ;)

guess that just applies to this thread at least! :p

In certain states, serving alcoholic PDBs on the ground requires a state liquor license (inflight alcohol does not, whether overflying or O&D). My guess is that perhaps AA has decided not to renew its liquor license in MO and the other states where alcohol will not be served on the ground as a cost-cutting measure. Similarly, USAir allowed its licenses to lapse in quite a few states (including Florida), leading to angry threads complaining about the absence of alcoholic PDBs in those states. With the pulldown of the STL hub, it probably makes sense.