TexasDeere

I flew a lot prior to covid but only twice since with the last flight in July. I am scheduled to fly in early December. Is SW still suspending alcohol service or has it been restored. My last flight was water only.

apeoples13

Still only water. They have not made any announcements on when full beverage service will resume.

jco613

I hope they make some sort of exception for the MIA inaugural Sunday. I’m not asking for the world but it would be nice to do some sort of toast. It’s going to be weird Sunday but I’m looking forward to it.

FlyDeltaMD88

I think it's well past time for Southwest to bring back the carts so they can roll through the aisle handing out a can of Dr Pepper or Coke. The current service doesn't matter for 1-2 hour flights but it's unacceptable for transcon and Hawaii flights.

jiburi

I don’t understand how serving water in a cup that was originally from a can is safer than soda poured into a cup, served the same way..... Something is fishy.....

Jiburi

PS...I thought reducing these contact points Were the main idea of reduced COVID transmission protocols.....

Often1

It is finance not Covid-related. But the finance is caused by the Covid.

Bottom line, if they can serve water, they can serve Krug champagne. Same risk, different price point.

PAX62

Less time and interaction of the crew in the cabin with the passengers having to lean over every aisle person to hear what the window passenger wanted while they sit there and read the beverage card that had been sitting in front of them for the past 30 min then have to fumble out their expired drink coupon that someone else gave them only to fish out and hand over a credit card that was expired...

It's not about YOUR safety...if it was they wouldn't have stopped the policy of blocking middle seats.

ursine1

There's no scenario where serving the entire cabin the exact same thing -- other than water -- makes any sense.

GoldenArgosy

When was the last time you saw a cart in the aisle on Southwest?

jco613

didn’t they try it right when they got the -800s. FAs hated it so much they went back to trays in weeks

FlyDeltaMD88

They had them for a bit on the -800's, FA's hated them so they went back to using the trays. Seems like now would be a great time to bring them back, considering WN is also the last US airline it seems like to use trays and not carts.

FlyDeltaMD88

They don't have to serve alcohol or hot beverages, they can be like United and go down the aisle with limited can service such as Coke, Diet Coke, Ginger Ale, Sprite, Diet Sprite, Dr Pepper etc.

Often1

The FA pours whatever liquid has been ordered into a cup while in a galley and then hands it to a passenger. Whatever risk exists in transferring the liquid into a cup and then walking down the aisle and back is the same.

What is different is that it takes more bottles, more work and more money to stock the galley. But, that is not a Covid risk, simply Covid economic fallout. The latter is (sadly) fine, but saying that it is a medical issue is not.

HPN-HRL

The relevant difference is that in the water-only scenario the FA only has to ask whether each passenger wants water and deliver it immediately. On the other hand, in a more-options-available scenario the FA has to 1a) ask each passenger what they want, 1b) record the answer, and 2) come back and deliver the correct drink order [and maybe 3) deal with payment if drinks for purchase are among the choices made available]. This would extend the amount of time that FAs are in direct passenger contact, adding to their risk. As I understand it, the reduced beverage service was started in order to minimize the medical risk of COVID spread, so at least originally this was done as a response to a medical issue (economic gains being a side benefit).

Now, with an improved understanding of COVID, in my opinion the amount of risk added by Southwest expanding their drink selection is extremely minimal given the current aircraft environment of HEPA filters and mask requirements - but it appears that many people are much less risk-tolerant than I am.

LegalTender

WN isn't alone. Business writer David Koenig tweets "AA is having trouble securing enough product from Coca Cola and also unrest with the FA union about serving drinks."