asnovici

DFW LHW a couple weeks ago in F was told that “the good stuff will be served after take off” and they were serving “regular stuff” on the ground just this one time. This was delivered with a profuse apology and indeed a glass of unidentified champagne was brought from the galley. I didn’t ask what it was but drinkable and it wasn’t a Prosecco. So whatever happens on these Texas flights is a one off catering or BA thing and not a change in state law.

TechMarauder

The rules for alcohol in Texas have been archaic for almost a century - since the repeal of Prohibition in 1935. There is no recent law change, other than slightly easing the restriction on the sale of packaged wine and beer from noon to 10am on Sundays. Counties in Texas also have the right to ban packaged alcohol and/or by the drink - most don’t. Some allow drinks by glass but not packaged sales (has been one of my favorite ironies for years).

The bottom line is that airlines can serve whatever drink they want on the ground as long as they pay the Texas duty/tax for it. It’s the same reason they make you pay the tax for bottles you take back across the border from Mexico by foot. (I’m glad they never put TABC pay stations in the airport!) if you ever go to an airport lounge you’ll see they (should) have the Texas tax sticker on it to show the duty was paid.
This is why United may serve nastier swill on the ground (to save $) and folks like Qatar pony up the tax to keep the experience consistent for their high value customers.

Many FAs have used this to either be lazy or just not properly informed or maybe to err on the side of caution. Either way, the good news is hopefully you’ll be in the air soon enough.. hopefully

etiene

Lol nope. Know how they check your boarding pass when you’re shopping at the airport - that’s because the destination makes a difference.

Rudyroo

Exactly my thoughts.

skunker

I've seen QR (and maybe EY years ago) serve different sparkling on the ground for flights leaving the US versus the stuff listed on the menu. When asked about the difference the answer was they had a ground sparkling and air champagne for duty reasons.

Dave_C

I’m sat in Club on the 194 as we speak, sipping pre-departure bubbles.

Vaterland

It's trivial but I'm a stickler for historical accuracy: Prohibition was repealed in 1933. Nonetheless, Texas is, indeed, notorious for its archaic laws.

pH

Thank you, this appears to put it to rest as a BA/catering issue that is either logistical or cost saving in nature and impacts only some flights (....unless there is additional input from the insiders on this forum?)

If that is accurate, it seems a shame that some crew feel the need to "cover" for an operational/service issue that is not of their own making. And if accurate, a very poor showing for F.

crazy8534

Personally, I don't think there will have been any malice in it.
The IAH flights (BA194 and BA 195) are on 777s so will have crews that go all over the world and don't do any other Texas flights as DFW is on the A380 and AUS is on the A350.
I think it's probably just a mash-up of being told they can't open the bar on the ground (completely true) because there is no tax paid on it and then a failure to load/find the tax-paid champagne for PDB.
The OP was pretty clear that the crew were excellent otherwise and IME CC don't usually see the need to cover-up for BA's mistakes!

bhbloke

Water and OJ only out of DFW on a Monday evening in Club.

zanderblue

Bubbles and OJ offered departing AUS on Wednesday.

chriswiles

I forgot to say we were served (a very small!) champagne welcome drink from AUS the other day in J. I asked crew if Texan law had changed and he said no, but sometimes more champagne than they expect is drunk on the outgoing flights affecting what they can then serve on the return.

I'm sure some people start threads on here more for show than actual fact.

JD1905

Sorry but how is this the OP's fault? Crew failed to offer service and lied to them (intentionally or not) to try and cover it. They are fully within their right to come on here and repeat their experience.

IAMORGAN

Also, also, isn’t this a separate issue? I understand bars generally return catered but they will be ‘sealed’ prior to landing and the crew will count the stock and fill in form(s). That seal should not be broken on the ground so how much was used on the outbound should not affect the return PDB. As I understand it, duty paid champagne should be catered locally. So PDB should not be rationed, unless crew trying to save the PDB bubbles to serve in flight because ‘too much’ was used during the outbound!

Dev1980

We were only offered orange juice in Club from IAH on Saturday 6 April. I overheard another passenger explain to his significant other that he'd asked the cabin crew about the absence of fizz and been told it was to do with Texas licensing laws.