Those who regularly take short flights will know that not all of them will have a flight attendant come down the aisle with a beverage cart.
While the decision on when to offer beverages rests with individual airlines, the industry cut-off standard is for flights that last less than two hours.
In cases that toe the line, the flight crew will also opt not to do full cart service but instead do one round down the aisle with a tray offering simple drinks like water and juice.
🚨 Don’t miss this amazing Black Friday Move! Get 60% off TheStreet Pro. Act now before it’s gone.😲
Related: Airline makes fancy food change many are sure to like
Fly Southwest? This is what you need to know about changes to cabin service
Southwest Airlines (LUV) , which as a budget airline runs many flights between nearby cities, just announced that its flight attendants will now begin preparing the cabin for landing when the plane is 18,000 feet (3.4 miles) from landing.
As the previous guideline was 10,000 feet (1.9 miles), this means that any food or drinks service will also need to be wrapped up earlier — in some cases, this could mean a difference of ten minutes in which the cart cannot be out.
More on travel:
- Another National Park just made it more difficult for you to visit
- Delta Air Lines makes a baggage change that travelers will like
- United Airlines passenger incident triggers quick response
“The change in procedures is designed to reduce the risk of in-flight turbulence injuries for our crew members and customers,” a Southwest spokesperson said in a press statement. “It is the result of the airline’s close collaboration with its labor partners and a robust approach to safety.”
On the passenger end, this will mean that they will need to move the seat back to the upright position and put up the tray table used to hold drinks earlier as well.
On the flight attendant end, this also cuts down the time when they are able to move around the cabin with carts or trays. The new regulations will come into effect on Dec. 4.
Related: My favorite plane snack is quietly disappearing off airline menus
Turbulence is making airlines rethink how they serve food
As justification of the changes, Southwest Airlines provided TSA statistics showing that one-third of all injuries aboard planes between 2009 and 2018 occurred due to turbulence.
Amid high-profile incidents like the May 2024 Singapore Airlines (SINGY) flight in which the turbulence was so severe the multiple passengers received permanent injuries, multiple airlines have been rethinking how they serve food, and in particular, hot drinks aboard their flights.
Earlier this year, South Korea’s flagship Korean Air announced that it would no longer be serving instant noodles to economy passengers "as part of proactive safety measures in response to increased turbulence, aimed at preventing burn accidents."
This is despite the fact that the airline has for decades partnered with the Shin Ramyun brand and has come to be associated with the treat.
While it continues to sell them, Air Canada (ACDVF) has also recently switched up its policy to not serve instant noodles during moments in the flight when risk of turbulence is high.
Following the May incident, the new Singapore Airlines policy also does not allow flight attendants to serve food or drinks when the seat belt sign is on for passengers (at some airlines, they are able to complete certain tasks in the cabin while the passengers are required to stay seated).
Related: Veteran fund manager sees world of pain coming for stocks
