US Airways to offer free beer and wine in lounges!

By: Ben Schlappig

Published: October 20, 2009

8 comments

It must be April 1. An airline — US Airways, no less — is making a couple of positive changes without taking anything away. Please, someone pinch me. First of all, starting October 30, US Airways will be offering free beer and wine in their lounges. Second of all, and equally impressive, they are getting rid of the “tiered” lounge membership system, where you need to pay extra for a membership if you want to use partner airline lounges. So not only are they offering free drinks, but they’re also essentially discounting membership for those that want to use partner lounges.

Very impressive! So this leaves American and United as the only legacies that don’t offer free alcohol in their lounges. I’m not sure about American, but given the Star Alliance connection between Continental, United, and US Airways, I’d be shocked if United didn’t eventually match. And if United matches, I’d bet American follows in no time, since they don’t want to be the only airline not offering free drinks.

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Virgil Lovett Guest

October 21, 2009, 3:47 pm

"OMG! Maybe US Air figures if you’re drunk, you won’t mind their ghetto on-board product. Is the house wine Cisco?" As a former flight attendant and in the industry for 23 years I have had to use the FAR's to remove or deny someone boarding a flight due to intoxication. The rule is set to give the airline an out but it is up to the gate agents and flight attendants to be the front line force to help this rule get inforced. Passengers wonder why they can get thrown off an airline flight so easily and this rule supports the Captain and crew when the situation comes into question. Technically the Captain cannot waive this rule at his discretion if the flight is the ground or at the gate. So passengers should learn how to drink, especially when its free and know when to say when! (The actual rule as crew members know it and appears in every airline flight manual) (Title 14: Aeronautics and Space PART 121—OPERATING REQUIREMENTS: DOMESTIC, FLAG, AND SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATIONS Subpart T—Flight Operations 121.575 Alcoholic beverages. (b) No certificate holder may serve any alcoholic beverage to any person aboard any of its aircraft who— (1) Appears to be intoxicated; (c) No certificate holder may allow any person to board any of its aircraft if that person appears to be intoxicated. P.S. Sorry for the length

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Gene Diamond

October 20, 2009, 3:51 pm

OMG! Maybe US Air figures if you're drunk, you won't mind their ghetto on-board product. Is the house wine Cisco? I would be shocked if American gives out free alcohol in their lounges, but I cerrtainly hope you're right!

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Steve Guest

October 20, 2009, 3:33 pm

I think this could be more of a negative. I don't want a bunch of drunk idiots on the flight and free alcohol just makes it easier (and free) for idiots to get drunk and act like idiots.

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Bschaff1 Guest

October 20, 2009, 3:31 pm

Beer and wine do the job much better than water and coffee. This is a reason to look forward to my next US Airways lounge visit to see the revised offerings. This will bring the drinks policy in synch with the PHL Envoy Lounge, which I consider to be one of the best domestic *G lounges with the only flaw IMO being the lack of hard liquor. Great improvement US Airways!!!

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PWMDude19 Guest

October 20, 2009, 3:17 pm

No problem, and only house beer and wine at that. Thanks for your blog. Club members will also enjoy complimentary house selections of beer and red and white wines. Premium selections of beer, wine and liquor will also be available for purchase.

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