Flight Attendants Demand American Airlines Impose Two Drink Limit

The Association of Professional Flight Attendants has demanded that a two drink limit be imposed on passengers, as alcohol is about to return to American Airlines coach on Monday.

The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) which represents AA crew members, however, would like American to introduce a maximum inflight drink limit of two beverages per customer. The union has already presented its argument to the airline and management are currently reviewing the proposal.

Flight attendants aren't supposed to over serve passengers. Among other things, what that means varies.

• By passenger’s weight
  
• By the drink they’ve selected (Bailey’s Irish Cream contains less than half the alcohol of whiskey)
  
• By the length of the flight

A two drink limit in domestic first class would mean that if a passenger has a predeparture beverage, that they might have a drink with their meal, but would be refused a refill on flights like Dallas.

New York JFK has a high likelihood of having to divert if there is a two drink limit. Would the segment from Gander to New York JFK start the drink limit over?

I usually only have two drinks while flying international first class, but I would like to try some of the special wines, champagnes, and spirits. I might have a glass of Dom Perignon and Krug on Singapore Airlines if I were to leave Australia with a French red or a nice Shiraz. I've never had this on American Airlines, and wouldn't likely have more than two drinks. I haven't found myself flying long haul coach since American used to fly to Australia via Honolulu with a DC-10. I wouldn't want to be sober on that flight.

Flight attendants have the authority to cut off passengers who have had too much to drink. The American Airlines flight attendants union wants the airline to impose an arbitrary rule that will lead to more conflict with passengers who are sober than it will reduce the number of passengers not being sober.

The flight attendants union didn't want to offer a second non-alcoholic drink on longer domestic coach flights, and the airline capitulated for a brief period this year.

I think this is posturing by the union for their own members. If they can appear to fight for things at the margin that makes them look less weak if they can't deliver on things that matter to the membership.