American Airlines Flight Attendant: Water in Business Class Is A Privilege, Not A Right

An American Airlines flight attendant took to social media because she wants premium cabin customers to know that they are not entitled to a bottle of water. Traditionally you’ll find a bottle of water at your seat when flying long haul in business class. Alaska Airlines gives you one at your seat domestically. But if you ask for one, that’s at the discretion of the crewmember on American – and this one wants you to know that it is a privilege and not a right.

If you get a full sized water bottle in domestic business that is a privilege, not a right.
Discussion
signed,

The [flight attendant] who had to deal with an [Executive Platinum passenger] giving them the stink eye because they wouldn’t give him a full sized water bottle even after explaining the flight was down-lined catered and the prior crew used up most of our supplies. and yes, he did drop the “on my last flight” gem of a comeback.

PSA: If you get a full sized water bottle in domestic business that is a privilege, not a right.
by u/skygirl222 in americanairlines

I usually bring my own water, even when I’m flying up front with American Airlines. The cabin may be hot, and I assume that crew won’t offer a predeparture beverage. They’re supposed to (unless doing so would delay the flight’s departure) but there’s zero consequence for not doing it.

And I always buy water before flying a U.S. airline internationally. In fact, flying Air France business class I do this as well. Air France gives you small glasses to drink from. In theory they’ll fill those up as often as you wish, but they don’t. The French don’t drink nearly as much water as Americans do.

The worst flights for hydration were always out of Hong Kong and other places where they didn’t do liquids checks at security and they’d therefore do liquid checks at the gate – confiscating bottles of water you bought in the airport. Can you imagine relying on a United Airlines flight attendant for hydration when flying coach transpacific?

Some of you will say “just bring an empty bottle of water through security” everywhere else, and fill it up at a hydration station. You don’t actually believe those are cleaned properly and on a regular schedule, do you?

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  1. @timdunn

    The FA’a are working for the airlines. They should be professional and courteous at all times. They should not be spewing their personal opnions, mouthing off to a customer or flapping their gums making negative comments. If they do not have a nice or helpful comment, they should zip their lips.

  2. “You don’t actually believe those are cleaned properly and on a regular schedule, do you?”

    Well, know. But I do think that water out of a fountain attached to a chlorinated city water supply is a DARN sight better for you than water you purchased in a bottle. They’re famously unregulated and unsafe.

  3. Since when do Americans drink more water than French people? Don’t confuse water consumption with water drinking.

  4. sounds like the biggest issue is everybody has an attitude… FA claiming everything (including defending being rude) is for “safety”. biz class expecting things (seats/water/professionalism) just b/c they pay more, main-cabin expecting the same level of service as biz (despite paying far less)….i stopped flying AA years ago because of of attitude. its my money and ill speak with my wallet. personally i have been treated really well on united biz… . not sure why everybody feels entitled to have an attitude… flying has become far less enjoyable over the years, why make it worse for everybody (customers and FA/pilots) ?!?

  5. It appears the FA was referring to a litre bottle not the 300/500 ml bottles carriers like AS and DL do place at the seat prior to boarding and which AA doesn’t (except for 3-cabin transcons). AA pours from larger bottles and thus the FA was reminding the passenger their supply had to last beyond that flight. So I agree, a 1 litre full-size bottle is a privilege.

  6. I’m tired of reading complaints from crybabies, for about everything. If you are a frequent flyer in USA, domestically, you know what happens. Be nice when asking for the water. Be polite, ask for a scotch or another drink and ask for extra water. I just read a guy complaining about everything over a Delta flight from SLC to PAR in Delta One, and he was holding the soup spoon like he was holding a wrench or a screw driver. You got to be kidding me. With all due respect, you sound like a first timer on a plane.

  7. Wuh wuh wuh…..the sound of entitlement. Walk in a Flight Attendant’s shoes and how management makes their lives miserable, and not having the tools to do their job.

Comments are closed.