US Airways Feels Justified in Charging for Water & Soda

US Airways – which is the only airline in the United States to charge for soda, coffee, tea, and water – has got this great rationalization for their behavior: flight attendants would “riot” if they returned to the old system.  Why?  Because it’s cut cabin congestion and the time flight attendants spend serving drinks.

Soooo…basically, flight attendants would have to go back to doing one of the jobs that they get paid to do?

“Logjams in the aisles, significant trash collection, lines at the restrooms — all those things are largely gone on US Airways because fewer people are buying and drinking sodas,” U.S. Airways President Scott Kirby said. “We spend less money, we generate a little revenue, and those problems are largely gone.”

Mike Flores, president of the Assn. of Flight Attendants-CWA dismisses this as just the airline’s way of justifying their practices and claimed that although charging for beverages has decreased the demand, it hasn’t actually reduced the amount of trash on board.  Flores also expressed concern that taking on responsibility for sales would take away from flight attendants’ ability to ensure cabin safety.

[Source]