American Airlines to resume alcohol sales on certain flights in April
FILE IMAGE - American Airlines planes parked at their gates in the Miami International Airport on Dec. 10, 2021 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
American Airlines announced Thursday it will resume selling alcohol on domestic and short-haul international flights in April.
An American Airlines spokesperson told FOX Business that it will "slowly reintroduce its buy-on-board" program on April 18, which includes light snacks and alcoholic beverage purchases on flights over 250 miles.
"Beginning April 18, American will slowly reintroduce its buy-on-board program including alcohol and light snacks to domestic main cabin flights. Customers traveling on flights over 250 miles will be offered beer, wine and spirits," the spokesperson said.
American Airlines also announced it will introduce "touchless ordering" for passengers beginning later in 2022.
The company, along with many other airlines, ended the in-flight sale of alcoholic beverages at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.
American Airlines delayed the resumption of alcoholic beverage sales due to unruly passengers causing violent incidents onboard flights.
American Airlines flight attendant attacked by passenger: New details
An American Airlines flight headed to Orange County, California, was forced to divert to Denver, Colorado, after a passenger allegedly attacked one of the flight attendants. The passenger, who reportedly punched the flight attendant in the nose, was arrested when the plane landed in Denver.
Nearly 6,000 cases of unruly airline passengers were reported to the Federal Aviation Administration in 2021, resulting in 1,075 investigations.
Between 2016 and 2020, the FAA averaged 136 investigations per year.
Southwest Airlines brought back alcoholic beverage purchases on most flights that are 176 miles or more on Feb. 16 and United Airlines brought back some alcoholic beverage purchases on June 1, 2021.
FOX Business' Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.