Southwest Airlines Is Finally Lifting 2-Year-Long Alcohol Ban
After pushing the ban back several times, the airline will start serving alcohol this month.
After nearly two years, Southwest Airlines will resume alcohol sales on flights this month.
On Thursday, the airline announced that passengers on flights of over 176 miles can choose from an expanded selection of beverages. The selection will include Miller Lite, Blue Moon, Lagunitas IPA, sparkling wine, chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, vodka, lime vodka, Jack Daniels, Wild Turkey, Bacardi Rum, and Tequila. The updated menu extends past alcoholic drinks, too, as the carrier will now be offering tonic water, apple juice, Coke Zero, Dr. Pepper, hot tea, and hot cocoa.
Southwest initially suspended food and drink services at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Although the carrier has brought back other services, the reappearance of alcohol on in-flight menus has been up in the air. Initial plans to bring alcohol back in June of 2021 were scrapped due to unruly passengers. Just last week, the airline vetoed reinstating the service due to the recent spike of the highly contagious COVID-19 variant, Omicron.
The onboard beverage selection will be available to passengers starting February 16, 2022. Travelers will also be able to redeem any Southwest drink coupon set to expire in 2020 or 2021 for an alcoholic beverage through December 31, 2022.