"Service-free" flights?
 

I regularly fly from GSP-CLT and back. Yesterday, the flight attendant in first class announced, during boarding, that the flight was "service free" and that there would be no drinks or snacks at all. The flight attendant then offered non-alcoholic beverages during boarding, stating that "alcohol can't be offered while on the ground". There were so many "I can'ts" that I figured that the flight attendant really didn't want to serve anything, so I didn't even bother asking for a glass of water.

Is this new? Are some flights now "service-free"? This flight was on a regional carrier, if that matters.

I then had a connecting flight, and the flight attendant in first class (mainline AA) was fantastic, starting with pre-departure drinks (of any kind).

Thanks.

Anything under 250 miles is beverages on request.

I’m reference to PDBs there’s some restrictions for mainline in certain states. But overall there’s no restrictions in most US cities.

Did a DCA-LGA round trip end of last week; full PDB service both ways, altho coffee wasn’t available on the northbound flight. I agree the plastic cups they’re using now seem very flimsy and small, not the same as they were using before. Glassware once airborne both ways.

Every sub 250 mile flight I've been on there's been a beverage service unless there's bumpy air. This has included IAH/DFW, MIA/TPA, DCA/LGA and ATL/CLT. Now PDBs are another matter and it's usually (but not always) been just one round in air.

I have always had proactive beverage service on countless DFW-OKC flights in F. This includes mainline, Mesa, Skywest, and Envoy. Even during the worst of the covid service reductions. That's a 175 mi flight.

I’ve flown CLT-GSP and DCA-LGA for years, including in January, and drinks were offered at least in the air.

Yesterday’s flight had no drinks and no snacks at all in the air- it was a “service free” flight. Nothing could even be requested. I’d never heard that before.

sorry, I probably should clarify that the 250 rule is MC. FC is always offer beverage once safe to do so, only time it’s not offered in FC is when the flight doesn’t break 10k feet.

Tuesday, I flew BOS-JFK (A321T), JFK-MIA (772), and MIA-SJU (normal mainline) -- 0 for 3 on PDBs. Good service on all the flights but no PDBs...
Yesterday I flew SJU-CLT-PWM. Finally got a PDB on SJU-CLT. Great service on both flights.

Or when the FA doesn't feel like offering a service in FC. I'd say roughly 25% of my very short (<250mi) AA flights have provided no service in F since the beginning of COVID.

-FlyerBeek

What was the pre-COVID MC beverage rule?

I recall flights under a certain length (DFW-AUS, CLT-RDU/CHS/ATL) would have a refreshment service in the back consisting of individual water bottles and OJ cuplets, but that seems to have been discontinued with the pandemic. I think anything over 125mi got the OJ and water in back? There may have been full-service "exemption" routes IIRC.

pre-covid there was an OJ/water service between 130 - 249 miles.

It changed over the years, but pre-COVID in 2017 AA stopped full beverage service in Y on flights under 250mi. Main cabin service was limited to small bottles of water or a cup of juice, although more options were supposed to be available on request. https://viewfromthewing.com/american...ective-june-1/

As always, the actual service provided onboard was somewhat inconsistent in my experience.

-FlyerBeek

PHX => LAS - PDB served
LAS => PHX - had to ask. Got one, but no-one else asked or was served one

There were PDBs on my ORD-MIA Friday night but it was limited to water and OJ

So annoying and lazy, especially on late afternoon / evening flights.