Airlines Ban In-Flight Alcohol Sales Due to Coronavirus
It's like 2020 keeps getting less fun by the minute.
Yesterday, I did something that felt surreal. By some miracle, the half marathon I'm planning to run in Ohio this October hasn't been canceled and I'm really excited for the opportunity to run an endurance race in the park I trained in as a kid. Normally flying back to my hometown runs me about $600+, but right now I can book the trip for a little over $300...so I did it. I booked my first "post lockdown" air travel.
If you're about to do something similar, be prepared for some BIG changes like wearing a mask for the entire duration of your flight. Major airlines have been asking passengers to do so since early May making exceptions for those who have a medical condition or disability that prevents them from wearing a face covering, those who cannot put on or remove a covering themselves and small children. You may remove your mask while you're eating or drinking.
That last exception is why boozy drinks are getting the boot on some airlines. Delta and American Airlines are banning alcohol sales from the main cabins on their domestic flights for the time being. According to CNN, they're doing that to eliminate how long people spend sipping on and enjoying their beverages.
After the year we've all endured, most of us could use a drink to help take the edge off and it's a bummer to see the option go away for now. It's just another sign that the airlines are very serious about their mask policy.
In fact, if you don't fall under the face covering exceptions when you're traveling on United, you'll get a nice, but stern warning from a flight attendant and a complimentary mask if you don't have one. If you fail to put one on after you're reminded of United's policy the flight attendant can file an incident report which could land you their "no fly" list in the future. Delta has a similar policy.
Ugh. I get it. I get why it's important to comply...but can I be honest? I'm over the giant zits I'm getting from wearing a mask for just a short amount of time every day. I don't event want to think about how gross my face is going to be after a four hour flight.
To those of you who are wearing masks for HOURS a day at your job, know that we think you're superstars. Truly, you are. We admire your patience.