Airlines in the United States, Europe and Asia have banned alcohol from flights in response to the coronavirus pandemic, in an attempt to minimize contact between passengers and crew members, CNN reports.
American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Easyjet, KLM, Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia are all among the airlines that have suspended serving alcohol on flights, with many only offering water for passengers, who are required to wear face masks at all times when not eating or drinking.
"We’re paring down to essential onboard food and beverage options in an effort to reduce physical touch points between customers and employees," Delta wrote on its website. "As always, you are welcome to bring your own food and non-alcoholic beverages on board to enjoy during flight. Since many airport offerings are limited at this time, we recommend packing your own refreshments and encourage you to review [Transportation Security Administration] guidelines, before bringing food through security checkpoints."
Other airlines, like British Airways and Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific, have limited their alcohol service, but have not entirely eliminated it. Southwest Airlines modified its snack and beverage policy last March, suspending it on trips under 250 miles and only offering water in cans with straws on longer flights.
Southwest "looks forward to restoring full, on-board service offerings once circumstances allow,” the company said in an email to CBS MoneyWatch.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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