Anyone Else Hate the Onboard "Duty Free" Wake-Up Call?
Oct 17, 2016, 12:24 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 403
Anyone Else Hate the Onboard "Duty Free" Wake-Up Call?
So this always seems to happen to me:
I’m in an aisle in E+ on a transatlantic flight.
Meal service is over, cabin lights are off, drifting off to sleep
And then a flight attendant comes up the aisle calling “Duty Free” and holding the magazine with a flashlight pointing at it.
The guy on my IAD-ZRH last week was like a drill sergeant barking “DUTY FREE! DUTY FREE! DUTY FREE!” so loud I couldn't believe it.
Why does UA even bother with this? In dozens and dozens of trans-atlantics I have never seen anyone buy anything, so purchase volume must be way low.
And doesn’t the fuel burn from carrying the extra weight offset any small gain they make?
Please United, let me sleep!
I’m in an aisle in E+ on a transatlantic flight.
Meal service is over, cabin lights are off, drifting off to sleep
And then a flight attendant comes up the aisle calling “Duty Free” and holding the magazine with a flashlight pointing at it.
The guy on my IAD-ZRH last week was like a drill sergeant barking “DUTY FREE! DUTY FREE! DUTY FREE!” so loud I couldn't believe it.
Why does UA even bother with this? In dozens and dozens of trans-atlantics I have never seen anyone buy anything, so purchase volume must be way low.
And doesn’t the fuel burn from carrying the extra weight offset any small gain they make?
Please United, let me sleep!
Oct 17, 2016, 12:29 pm
#2
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So this always seems to happen to me:
I’m in an aisle in E+ on a transatlantic flight.
Meal service is over, cabin lights are off, drifting off to sleep
And then a flight attendant comes up the aisle calling “Duty Free” and holding the magazine with a flashlight pointing at it.
The guy on my IAD-ZRH last week was like a drill sergeant barking “DUTY FREE! DUTY FREE! DUTY FREE!” so loud I couldn't believe it.
Why does UA even bother with this? In dozens and dozens of trans-atlantics I have never seen anyone buy anything, so purchase volume must be way low.
And doesn’t the fuel burn from carrying the extra weight offset any small gain they make?
Please United, let me sleep!
I’m in an aisle in E+ on a transatlantic flight.
Meal service is over, cabin lights are off, drifting off to sleep
And then a flight attendant comes up the aisle calling “Duty Free” and holding the magazine with a flashlight pointing at it.
The guy on my IAD-ZRH last week was like a drill sergeant barking “DUTY FREE! DUTY FREE! DUTY FREE!” so loud I couldn't believe it.
Why does UA even bother with this? In dozens and dozens of trans-atlantics I have never seen anyone buy anything, so purchase volume must be way low.
And doesn’t the fuel burn from carrying the extra weight offset any small gain they make?
Please United, let me sleep!
if they insist on continuing to do it, it would be more civil if they did it after the breakfast service.
Oct 17, 2016, 1:35 pm
#3
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
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Ear plugs and/or noise canceling headset (and some smoothing background music) are key essentials for any flight involving sleeping. And eye shades.
Never leave home without them.
Never leave home without them.
Oct 17, 2016, 1:38 pm
#4
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I don't think it's practical to do duty-free sales at the end of the flight since the purser must do duty free paperwork before landing.
Oct 17, 2016, 1:46 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 403
Oct 17, 2016, 1:52 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2014
Location: CMH, HNL
Programs: UA, HA
Posts: 583
Am curious about the cost/revenue equation for performing inflight Duty Free. Don't forget the missed opportunity to carry other revenue-generating cargo in place of Duty Free stuff. Though maybe not much.