Airline Beer in Jeopardy?

[chazwicke]

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/other_business/article/0,2777,DRMN_23916_5319603,00.html

N.M. liquor laws distasteful to airlines

By Chris Walsh, Rocky Mountain News
February 1, 2007
Frontier Airlines could be barred - at least temporarily - from
selling cold beer and rum and Cokes on flights to and from New
Mexico.

But the Denver-based airline has indicated it might challenge such
a move.

Frontier doesn't think it needs a New Mexico liquor license to
serve alcoholic drinks on flights into and out of Albuquerque
International Sunport.

The state, though, apparently disagrees, and it might order Frontier
to stop the practice.

On Monday, New Mexico's regulation and licensing department ordered
US Airways to stop serving liquor, wine and beer on flights to
and from the state because the carrier doesn't have a local liquor
license.

The department also said it will issue cease-and-desist orders to
three more airlines this week. It did not name the carriers.

Frontier said it will sit down with New Mexico officials to go over
the laws if the carrier receives a cease-and-desist order.

In Colorado, airlines essentially must get a liquor license if
they store alcohol in the state or stock their planes with liquor
while here, said Matt Cook, director of state liquor enforcement
for Colorado.

[cattersley]

Good lord. That is retarded. The goverment always has to get the biggest slice of the pie. If they can't, they hord the pie, and won't share...

- cattersley.

[skahtboi]

On the other hand, I don't recall ever being on a flight that actually serves beer anyway. I have seen some that serve that yellow fizzy swill in place of beer. :D

[cattersley]

On British Airways, beer is free, and you can have as much as you like.

- cattersley

[chazwicke]

This is from Greg Wiggins one of Mid Atlantic Brew News' intrepid reporters as posted on DC Beer:

And Frontier is the rare airline that serves good beer. They normally
stock Dale's Pale Ale and sometimes Old Chub from Colorado's Oskar Blues
Brewery.

(The only one that tops that, in my opinion, is Alaska Airline's Horizon
Air commuter affiliate. Not only does Horizon offer a Pacific Northwest
"microbrew of the month" on all their flights, but the beer is free.)

Gregg Wiggins

[wortchillergoal]

Originally posted by cattersley
Good lord. That is retarded. The goverment always has to get the biggest slice of the pie. If they can't, they hord the pie, and won't share...

- cattersley.

I hate to be a prude but I feel I must. I have a special needs child, though autistic, I still find the deployment of the term retard in any form to be on the vulgar side. I would kindly ask this community to refrain from such use of the word, thank you.

[MeridianFC]

Though I'm sure no harm was intended I agree with the Goalie.

[gestyr]

I'll take "Airline Beer" for $500, Alex



:) someone had to do it.

[corkybstewart]

For those of you who don't know why this came up, I'll explain. In November a guy was so drunk on a flight into Albuquerque he got up in mid flight, got his carry on, and went to the door. The stewardess made him sit down, and then brought him another drink. After landing air marshalls interviewed him but let him go. He then stopped at a convience store(which has now lost its license),bought a sixer, and proceeded to plow head on into a family, killing 5 of the six. Passengers said the man was very clearly drunk but the airline kept serving him. That's why NM is looking into liquor licenses for airlines.