Southwest Won't Be Serving Alcohol Until at Least 2023
Southwest Airlines would not offer alcohol on board until January 2023, a spokeswoman told Travel + Leisure on Monday.
The carrier planned to bring back alcoholic beverages in June, but an alarming rise in rowdy passengers this year forced a halt.
Southwest's decision coincides with the federal transportation mask mandate, which has been extended until Jan. 18, 2022.
"No current plans to bring back alcohol before January 2022," the Southwest representative informed T+L.
The Federal Aviation Administration has recommended over $1 million in civil penalties and received over 3,800
To address the issue, the Transportation Security Administration raised the penalty for refusing masks on planes last week.
Breaking the rule will cost passengers $500 to $1,000 for a first violation and $1,000 to $3,000 for a second.
Southwest is not alone in abstaining from booze. American Airlines will not serve alcohol in its ordinary cabin until at least Jan.
Delta, JetBlue, and United Airlines have also added alcohol to their menus as food and beverage service has returned to the sky.
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