As Airlines Raise Drink Prices, Man Carries Giant Beer Through the Airport

The price of inflight beer and wine – like all other airline fees – has gone up. You may now pay $9 for a drink. And just like the movie theater you aren’t supposed to bring your own snacks, but at those prices how can you not at least consider it?

That looks to be what happened at Washington Dulles airport. Ed Pizzarello of Pizza in Motion snapped this photo of a passenger riding between concourses — carrying a beer.

Given their hub at Washington Dulles I suppose the caption on the photo ought to be, “Area Man Prepares to Fly United Airlines.”

Although I suppose what’s really impressive is that the man apparently didn’t spill any. Neither the airport train nor the mobile lounges are especially smooth rides.

At my home airport in Austin (and at several other airports in the U.S.) you can get beer and wine “to go” — just don’t drink your own alcohol on the plane or else. If your flight doesn’t divert to the nearest airport it may be met on arrival by law enforcement.

A year and a half ago a passenger snapped a photo as he got off a flight, and captured a beer in the cockpit causing an eruption. The Washington Dulles passenger isn’t dressed like a working crewmember though so he’s probably in the clear.

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. This has been case at MSY for as long as I can remember. Just not advertised and can’t take out of Delta Lounge.

  2. Not only has the price of the drink gone up, but most of the time they don’t even have lemons or limes anymore, either.

    Yet again, the only thing our airlines seem to “compete” at is which one can screw its passengers “best” – and get away with it.

    For $9, the least these greedy AF jerks can do is include lemons or limes with ones’ adult beverage of choice.

    Sheesh – is that really asking too much?!?!

    Oh, and don’t even get me started on the teensy, weensy size of the drink, too – you know, about the same approach of the chicken coop sized seats densely packed inside “no legroom” rows.

    Does the greed and arrogance of our airline overlords know no shame and have no limit in the degree to which it is greedily and ruthlessly executed?

  3. Just ignore this part…
    FAA regulations state that “No person may drink any alcoholic beverage aboard an aircraft unless the certificate holder operating the aircraft has served that beverage.”

    https://www.tsa.gov/blog/2014/01/07/tsa-travel-tips-tuesday-traveling-alcoholic-beverages

    Carry-on Baggage:
    Travelers may carry as many 3.4 ounce bottles of liquid (mini bottles of liquor are 1.7 ounces) that fit comfortably in one, quart sized, clear plastic, zip-top bag. Comfortable means that the bag will seal without busting at the seams. One bag is permitted per passenger.
    Liquids (including alcohol) purchased after clearing the security checkpoint are permitted on the aircraft.
    FAA regulations state that “No person may drink any alcoholic beverage aboard an aircraft unless the certificate holder operating the aircraft has served that beverage.”

  4. I always wondered what that tram in DC looked like from the outside.

    So weird!!!

    Does any other airport have anything like them?

    I travel a lot domestically and always find those shuttles fascinating when I am running to the other side to go to a better lounge on a long layover.

  5. As noted above, the picture with the beer is unquestionably the relatively new underground train at Dulles, not the older, above-ground “mobile lounge” vehicles. The beer’s train was quite likely heading to a location far past the c/d concourse.

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