Simple solution for water ban...
Sep 5, 2006, 12:45 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 4
Simple solution for water ban...
After just returning from a Europe trip, we found it unusual that while bottled water is sold abroad, it is clearly the Americans (which I am) that are so rabid about it's necessity at every turn.
While you can come down on either side on the debate, there's a simple solution that I always wondered about even pre-ban.
The friggin' airlines should just hand water in bottles to people as they board!
They are already carrying water on board to sell, as well as in the tanks. People also used to carry them onboard. So weight is not an issue...
I can, at my local box store, purchase 36 bottles (12 oz I think) at my local box store for around $5..so I'm assuming buying in bulk on those little tiny 4 or 6 oz bottles would be much cheaper.
Convert a couple of the storage lockers just inside the door where the goofy FA now stands parroting "Welcome aboard....welcome aboard....welcome aboard" to water bottle storage in some horizontal array.
Then, as you come by, they say "Would you like some water as you settle in for the flight?" If you have extraordinary water needs, you could request a few, etc.
These could also be much more easily handled during rough weather, etc.
I just don't get it...this is a problem easily solved at almost no cost to the TSA/flying public.
It doesn't solve the paste/gel ban, but let's face it, water is what most people seem to be in an uproar about.
While you can come down on either side on the debate, there's a simple solution that I always wondered about even pre-ban.
The friggin' airlines should just hand water in bottles to people as they board!
They are already carrying water on board to sell, as well as in the tanks. People also used to carry them onboard. So weight is not an issue...
I can, at my local box store, purchase 36 bottles (12 oz I think) at my local box store for around $5..so I'm assuming buying in bulk on those little tiny 4 or 6 oz bottles would be much cheaper.
Convert a couple of the storage lockers just inside the door where the goofy FA now stands parroting "Welcome aboard....welcome aboard....welcome aboard" to water bottle storage in some horizontal array.
Then, as you come by, they say "Would you like some water as you settle in for the flight?" If you have extraordinary water needs, you could request a few, etc.
These could also be much more easily handled during rough weather, etc.
I just don't get it...this is a problem easily solved at almost no cost to the TSA/flying public.
It doesn't solve the paste/gel ban, but let's face it, water is what most people seem to be in an uproar about.
Sep 5, 2006, 12:55 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: LAX; AA EXP, MM; HH Gold
Posts: 31,789
Welcome to Flyertalk. 
Good points, but I've got an easier (and cheaper) solution:
Just end the infantile ban on water, Comrade Chertoff and Half-Wit Hawley.
It's long past time for ConditionStupid/ConditionRetarded to come to an end.
I can buy bottled water for less than $0.21 each in bulk at the grocery store (including the CRV (CA bottle deposit)), but you can be certain that an airline can't get them to the door of the airplane for less than a buck each (count the labor/transport to get them there).
I'd be willing to pay my favorite airline a buck each for frozen bottles of water (like I used to carry on before IDIOTs like Chertoff/Hawley banned WATER) but I'm betting that AA is counting on the adults retaking control soon. Setting up the infrastructure to provide lots of bottles of water is expensive if they think that the current lunacy is short-lived.
And maybe after September 11 comes and goes the idiots at the DHS/TSA will remove their heads from their behinds and rediscover risk management and forsake their current risk avoidance template.
Good points, but I've got an easier (and cheaper) solution:
Just end the infantile ban on water, Comrade Chertoff and Half-Wit Hawley.
It's long past time for ConditionStupid/ConditionRetarded to come to an end.
I can buy bottled water for less than $0.21 each in bulk at the grocery store (including the CRV (CA bottle deposit)), but you can be certain that an airline can't get them to the door of the airplane for less than a buck each (count the labor/transport to get them there).
I'd be willing to pay my favorite airline a buck each for frozen bottles of water (like I used to carry on before IDIOTs like Chertoff/Hawley banned WATER) but I'm betting that AA is counting on the adults retaking control soon. Setting up the infrastructure to provide lots of bottles of water is expensive if they think that the current lunacy is short-lived.
And maybe after September 11 comes and goes the idiots at the DHS/TSA will remove their heads from their behinds and rediscover risk management and forsake their current risk avoidance template.
Sep 5, 2006, 1:28 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 4
Originally Posted by FWAAA
Welcome to Flyertalk.
Good points, but I've got an easier (and cheaper) solution:
Just end the infantile ban on water, Comrade Chertoff and Half-Wit Hawley.
It's long past time for ConditionStupid/ConditionRetarded to come to an end.
I can buy bottled water for less than $0.21 each in bulk at the grocery store (including the CRV (CA bottle deposit)), but you can be certain that an airline can't get them to the door of the airplane for less than a buck each (count the labor/transport to get them there).
I'd be willing to pay my favorite airline a buck each for frozen bottles of water (like I used to carry on before IDIOTs like Chertoff/Hawley banned WATER) but I'm betting that AA is counting on the adults retaking control soon. Setting up the infrastructure to provide lots of bottles of water is expensive if they think that the current lunacy is short-lived.
And maybe after September 11 comes and goes the idiots at the DHS/TSA will remove their heads from their behinds and rediscover risk management and forsake their current risk avoidance template.
Good points, but I've got an easier (and cheaper) solution:
Just end the infantile ban on water, Comrade Chertoff and Half-Wit Hawley.
It's long past time for ConditionStupid/ConditionRetarded to come to an end.
I can buy bottled water for less than $0.21 each in bulk at the grocery store (including the CRV (CA bottle deposit)), but you can be certain that an airline can't get them to the door of the airplane for less than a buck each (count the labor/transport to get them there).
I'd be willing to pay my favorite airline a buck each for frozen bottles of water (like I used to carry on before IDIOTs like Chertoff/Hawley banned WATER) but I'm betting that AA is counting on the adults retaking control soon. Setting up the infrastructure to provide lots of bottles of water is expensive if they think that the current lunacy is short-lived.
And maybe after September 11 comes and goes the idiots at the DHS/TSA will remove their heads from their behinds and rediscover risk management and forsake their current risk avoidance template.
Well glad to see you're not politicized about the whole thing.
Where did you get your $1 per bottle to deliver to aircraft figure?
By my retail reckoning, I can purchase them for $.13 per 12 oz bottle locally. Airlines already have logistics infrastructure supplying them with other foods, water, fuel, waste disposal, etc. There ARE economies of scale as well at play here.
Even if they did pass on the cost to flying public, MOST people will not drink multiple bottles of water, etc so they can cost average it over time...I'd expect something like $.50 or $1 a most to be added to the fare to compensate...even then that would be a profit center.
aiki
Sep 5, 2006, 1:31 pm
#4
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Kansas
Programs: AA,CO,DL,US,MW,NW, SW. Hiton Diamond, Marriott Silver
Posts: 63
I'm planning on taking an empty bottle on board and just presenting it to the FA upon boarding for her to fill a bit. Not a lot, just a few swigs until the cart comes by... Anyone tried this approach yet and if so, is it being welcomed by the FAs?
Sep 5, 2006, 3:31 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: MKE
Posts: 94
Quote by pptp from another board:
Quote:Originally Posted by jennifer2456
Would you take away water from someone who had brought an empty water bottle on board and filled it with water from the bathroom?
Nope, and why don't you just ask the FA to fill it to avoid any doubt (since I know FFer treat tap water like nuclear waste so they would NEVER do that, although they drink the coffee and tea that, technically, isn't sterilized by heat), that way you get bottled water instead of tap.
Quote:Originally Posted by jennifer2456
Would you take away water from someone who had brought an empty water bottle on board and filled it with water from the bathroom?
Nope, and why don't you just ask the FA to fill it to avoid any doubt (since I know FFer treat tap water like nuclear waste so they would NEVER do that, although they drink the coffee and tea that, technically, isn't sterilized by heat), that way you get bottled water instead of tap.
Sep 5, 2006, 9:54 pm
#6
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EP 3MM, UA Silver, Bonvoy LT TIT, Hyatt Explorist, HH Silver, Caesars PLT
Posts: 7,259
Originally Posted by kgkhoury
I'm planning on taking an empty bottle on board and just presenting it to the FA upon boarding for her to fill a bit. Not a lot, just a few swigs until the cart comes by... Anyone tried this approach yet and if so, is it being welcomed by the FAs?
Sep 5, 2006, 9:58 pm
#7
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: AA, WN RR
Posts: 3,122
Originally Posted by aamilesslave
Please report back your results. I will be doing the same as soon as I have to sit in Cattle Class.
Sep 5, 2006, 10:04 pm
#8
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: CO - silver, dl plat, spg plat, Marriot plat
Posts: 470
Originally Posted by aikidokap
The friggin' airlines should just hand water in bottles to people as they board!