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The newest weapon in the battle for your money - free booze!
The battle for your summer airfare dollars is getting ugly (for the airlines). For years, Qantas has been the only carrier to offer unlimited free booze on the Los Angeles - Sydney route (at least since all US airlines removed that perk). But now, Delta airlines has decided that booze may be just what passengers need to pick them over any other carrier.
The airline will offer passengers in coach free Amstel, Heineken and wine, so fans of hard liquor and cocktails won't be too impressed with the offer.
Thanks to a massive fare war, passengers can head down under for as little as $320 (each way) , which is about the lowest it has ever been. After taxes and other surcharges, you can snag a ticket (on V Australia) for just $741 R/T.
Whether free booze will have passengers pick Delta over other carriers still has to be seen, but I'm sure there are some people out there who'll be able to drink $50 worth of free beer on their long flight.
So, lets have a little poll here - if airline fares are the same, would you pick one airline over another if they offer free booze?
| Yes | |
|---|---|
| No | |
| Only if they offer "the good stuff" | |
Is encouraging alcohol consumption on planes a good idea? Click the images below to read stories of booze gone bad in the skies.
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
Kay Jun 20th 2009 3:46PM
This is a great idea! Then when one of the passengers gets tanked on board, because no one is monitoring how much of the free flowing alcohol he is consuming, they (like United Airlines) can deal with the fallout after that person gets behind the wheel of a car, gets on the wrong side of the interstate and wipes out an entire family. Geniuses.
Lara Jun 21st 2009 10:29AM
A more alluring perk would be for an airline to fly 'smokers' flights. Not all flights would permit smoking, but have some that do and make it clear to the prospective passengers that it's a smoking-permitted flight. It cost the airline nothing, except that they'd actually have to circulate and clean the cabin air, something they curtailed severely when they banned smoking. A perk like that would bring people on board that wouldn't otherwise fly at all, especially the longer flights.
FLLady Jun 20th 2009 4:03PM
I LOL when I read this. I haven't flown since 1992 & don't plan to anytime soon. Only if I absolutely have to. That's how much of a nightmare that trip was... I really thought alcohol (especially these days) would be at the top of any travelers list..already. But whatever gets you through the day. I don't drink but very rarely but think I might just have to be in a drunken stupor to get through the check-in counter.
Don Jun 20th 2009 4:31PM
This is nothing new for Quantas. They have always had free drinks.
Arnie Jun 20th 2009 4:41PM
Bring your own like I do!
End of problem
stephanie Jun 20th 2009 4:58PM
I can not afford to fly me and my daughter because of my income level but a different family memeber pay for my daughter to fly every summer to visit them. From NC to TX Thank God. But the simple fact i had to pay 15.00 for the luggage bag upset me. It is only common sense you are takng a bag when you are going on vacation. Give me my baggage free instead of alcoho. NOW that i believe will make a difference on what airline would be chose.
e. novak Jun 20th 2009 5:03PM
I traveled, quite a bit, from 1970 until 1990. Free wine and
bubbly, were served free, on Delta and Western. In fact,
I walked off the Delta flight, in Dallas, three times, with my
free bottle of champagne. In my travels, I had not seen
any one get out of hand, like you see today. My opinion,
people want their 15 minutes of fame, and that is the way
to get it.
Kevin Jun 20th 2009 5:11PM
I will not nor ever fly Delta again Or South West Product of Delta !
My son in law had order to go to Iraq. The army gave him a deployment date. We booked my flight so I could drive my daughter home. Shortly after that time his orders got changed and I had to pick her up a few days early. We tried to work with Delta to get the flight changed. They would not work with us. As a matter of fact they wanted to fine us for canceling the existing flight and have us purchase a new flight. Which was going to cost almost $400 and we were trying to change the flight almost two weeks before the date. I know there are rules to flying with most airlines. However, we cannot control what the goverment does and airlines need to work with families of our military men and women.
jud Jun 20th 2009 5:22PM
Forget about free stuff.........NOTHING IS FREE........If they really want people to fly, what they need to do is remove the luggage prices. The airlines only cater to the 1st class folks and everyone else is like in the old days on ships stearage which is the lowest of low. Since coach is what most people fly, they need to start taking care of this group and having good inexpensive food that is included in the ticket price. That's how they will win people back. Not by getting them drunk in the air. As the other person stated our prices are high because of all the add on and the CEO's outragious pay. By the way, service is gone too along with the pillows, blankets and magazines. And so many of the times the movies do not work either. Customer service is gone like the "blue ice" they let out of the planes.(blue ice is the toilet contents that are let out of the planes in flight even though they deny this occurs.)
hhirock@aol.com Jun 20th 2009 6:30PM
Delta is just giving free drinks in hopes you will not be too mad when your luggage that you paid extra for travels to a different distination
usahaupt Jun 20th 2009 6:34PM
Good! It's about time! They should offer alcohol for free and also soda's or water. To charge $5.00 every time you want something to drink is a joke! For all of you who think there will be more drunks on the plane, your wrong. If someone wants a drink they will pay for it. It won't change who does and doesn't drink on a flight. What it will change is what airlines people will fly now!
Connie Anderzunas Jun 20th 2009 6:35PM
Delta will be happy to give out free drinks in hopes you will not be too pissed when your luggage that you paid extra for is sitting in another airport instead of the one at the baggage claim that you are waiting for.
-M- Jun 20th 2009 7:04PM
If it works for pilots and crew...
Jason Jun 20th 2009 7:15PM
Why do all these things happen after I quit drinking?
sally Jun 20th 2009 7:31PM
They're giving free alcohol but charge bucks for the lousy bagged lunches?!! That sure says something about our society. I'd take a decent meal any day over a drink.
potty Jun 20th 2009 9:29PM
Not real smart to have half baked passengers acting out on a plane. Maybe if they limit it to 2 only, but no guarantee.
laura Jun 21st 2009 8:36AM
Wow, amazing to me that you would promote alcholol on a plane. Did you ever sit next to a business man who was drinking??? How shocking is that??
Yet, they want to charge larger women for an extra seat?? They say they have had complaints from people about them. What a bunch of CRAP!!
Did you ever sit next to a Man who is drinking on a plane??? They are bad enough sober, lets add to it by making them drunk!! Who wants to smell their breath?? Do you feel safe dozing off next to a man drinking??? I did and woke up with his friking hand making its way to my breast!!!
They should make drinking alcohol illegal, not free! Damn what idiots!!!