Cap the Chardonnay: Free booze on Asian airlines may be halted

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Cap the Chardonnay: Free booze on Asian airlines may be halted

By Coconuts Bangkok 

 

Photo: TravelingOtter/Flickr

 

SYDNEY: -- Due to the rising costs of fuel and the decline of passengers traveling in business and first-class, which provide the highest amount of revenue for carriers, airlines are looking at ways to cut costs — and your in-flight free booze might be the first thing to go.

 

Due to cost projections for 2017, the current standard “freebies” (which are never actually free, they are just worked into the cost of tickets) offered on many long-haul flights, including booze and meals, may no longer be sustainable for some big name carriers.

 

In addition to cutting F&B service, other possibilities for staying profitable include cutting certain routes or the number of flights on each route, swapping out older, gas-guzzling planes or, of course, raising prices, reported Bangkok Post.

 

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2016/12/07/cap-chardonnay-free-booze-asian-airlines-may-be-halted

 

-- © Copyright Coconuts Bangkok 2016-12-07

[baboon]

It's like the airlines are in competition with one another to provide the most miserable travelling experience...

[Andaman Al]

All well and good but the large amount of aviation fuel my close friend just sold was as cheap as chips! Tales of rising aviation fuel costs are an absolute nonsense. Oil is cheap!   If they cut the service in business and first on long haul then it will result in zero pax in those revenue areas and ultimately the complete collapse of certain routes for certain long haul carriers. This is scare mongering and simply will not happen in first and business.

[siam2007]

That report is such an utter nonsense. The European / US system simply doesn't work here in Asia.

There is a reason for example, why Air Asia lost a lot of market share in Asia to the likes of Nok Air, Thai Lion or Malindo, because those Budget Airlines offer "all in" fares and that is what people want.

The same applies to legacy carrier. Many did recently even increase free baggage allowance, not charging for it

[Basil B]

Maybe a good thing... too many in-flight incidents caused by well fuelled passengers.

[Andaman Al]

26 minutes ago, Basil B said:

Maybe a good thing... too many in-flight incidents caused by well fuelled passengers.

18 million flights last year with lets say an average of 200 people per flight. You can do the maths. How many inflight incidents caused by drunks?

[baboon]

30 minutes ago, Andaman Al said:

18 million flights last year with lets say an average of 200 people per flight. You can do the maths. How many inflight incidents caused by drunks?

Should sport be abolished because of the behaviour of a few morons?

Perhaps if passengers weren't made to turn up hours early, treated like cattle, routinely lied to and squashed in to ever more confined seats  (3 - 4 - 3 on a 777. Jesus!) there would also be far fewer incidents.

Not having a go at you here but I'm sure you get my point...

[thedemon]

Asian legacy carriers, which from the photo is who they are talking about, are doing precisely the opposite of what this article suggests.

 

How does Coconuts survive? Just ad revenue? From who?

[Andaman Al]

17 minutes ago, baboon said:

Should sport be abolished because of the behaviour of a few morons?

Perhaps if passengers weren't made to turn up hours early, treated like cattle, routinely lied to and squashed in to ever more confined seats  (3 - 4 - 3 on a 777. Jesus!) there would also be far fewer incidents.

Not having a go at you here but I'm sure you get my point...

I agree with you completely, that's why I am quoting the statistics. The amount of trouble compared to the huge number of passengers flying is absolutely tiny.

[baboon]

34 minutes ago, Andaman Al said:

I agree with you completely, that's why I am quoting the statistics. The amount of trouble compared to the huge number of passengers flying is absolutely tiny.

Begpardon. I should have quoted Basil B.

[MikeTexas]

Considering the cost of a First Class or Business fare a few glasses of wine (or whatever) is negligible. I would reduce the number of flights before I'd start cutting customer service. 

[Thaidream]

 

The airlines are thieves- they kept prices high as oil  and aviation fuel dipped to  low cost. Now they are complaining because it is moving up a little. In addition, they treat people like cattle and pack them in the most uncomfortable seats  with overloaded cabins. Poorly managed with a 'I don't give a damn' contempt for the public.

 

 

 

[Srikcir]

17 hours ago, baboon said:

treated like cattle

This article is about ending free booze for passengers traveling in business and first-class who are not likely to be treated like cattle. The cattle are the ones paying for their booze and getting typically high travel discounts. The First Class and Business passengers pay much more for their travel and generate a much higher profit margin that economy passemgers on a per capita basis. As Mike Texas points out, the cost of free wine is minimal.

 

It would be more productive to create entire  "Advanced Class" passenger flights such as  La Compagnie. Perhaps all common wines free (with consumption  restrictions of course). 

http://www.businessinsider.com/photos-of-business-class-airline-la-compagnie-2016-5

[autoc]

Since 9/11 airlines were supposed to close, but most of them are still profitable, so this is clearly utter nonsense.

 

No respect for companies already making profits that want to make more on my axx !

 

 

[Thaidream]

Why should I have to buy a business class ticket to be treated like a human being. It's because business is greedy .

[baboon]

12 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

This article is about ending free booze for passengers traveling in business and first-class who are not likely to be treated like cattle. 

.... But if they are on about ending free booze for passengers travelling in First or Business, you can bet your boots the next move will be wooden benches, stale bread and water for the rest of us, though the stale bread might only be in economy plus...

Face it, they are just greedy ba$tards.

[Thaidream]

The first time I ever came to Thailand some 5 decades ago- I boarded in Los Angeles and we stopped in Hawaii; Wake Island; Guam; Okinawa; Taiwan and Hong Kong before landing in Don Muang- some 30 hours later.  However, on each leg of the journey we received a hot meal or snack plus beer, wine or spirits. The economy seats were comfy and  the plane only half full and on the last leg about 10 people.  The airlines were making a small profit; when people had the time to travel they loved the airlines because customers were treated well. Fast forward to present day and more people fly; they don't enjoy it and the airlines are making more money than ever. The difference is greed and a cavalier attitude towards the public.

[elgordo38]

22 hours ago, baboon said:

It's like the airlines are in competition with one another to provide the most miserable travelling experience...

Its a move to make you appreciate your holidays even more when landing. 

[farcanell]

Lol.... I've had to resort to cheap travel recently, so I buy a half liter bottle duty free, then open it on board and dose myself... abandoning any leftovers in the seat pocket.... and buy more duty free when landing.

[richard_smith237]

Malaysian Airlines have already been doing this in Economy Class on flights less than 3 hrs since Jan 2016.

 

It would be nice to see some sensible and coherent reporting of the common sense facts. 

 

Its very unlikely that this will have any effect on Business or First Class travel where I'm sure services will remain the same. 

It is only Economy Class flights of a shorter duration where these services is likely to be reduced. 

 

This hardly a showstopper, particularly for many who's bottom line is price - while it may be 'a nice to have' to enjoy a glass of wine or a beer on a <3 hrs flight, its hardly 'a need to have' unless you have drinking issues. 

 

Cut the ticket prices and charge for onboard consumption of alcohol or wine... those who want to have a drink can pay, its pretty much a non-issue. 

 

(BTW: For the record, I enjoy a beer or wine on a flight and would be prepared to pay if I wanted one).

 

 

 

[Baerboxer]

4 hours ago, baboon said:

.... But if they are on about ending free booze for passengers travelling in First or Business, you can bet your boots the next move will be wooden benches, stale bread and water for the rest of us, though the stale bread might only be in economy plus...

Face it, they are just greedy ba$tards.

 

Ryan air mate. Have to pay to use the toilet. Thinking of stand-up flights where you have hand straps and poles like on the BTS and no or a few seats. Have to pay for any food or drinks, any checked-in or carry-ons and they fall about laughing if you have any kind of complaint.

 

Having said that, I used to fly from Stanstead to Eindhoven for 1 GBP with them! On quite a few trips.

[baboon]

12 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Ryan air mate. Have to pay to use the toilet. Thinking of stand-up flights where you have hand straps and poles like on the BTS and no or a few seats. Have to pay for any food or drinks, any checked-in or carry-ons and they fall about laughing if you have any kind of complaint.

 

Having said that, I used to fly from Stanstead to Eindhoven for 1 GBP with them! On quite a few trips.

You aren't exactly selling them to me...

Now Air Koryo, THERE'S an airline...

[tolsti]

21 hours ago, thedemon said:

Asian legacy carriers, which from the photo is who they are talking about, are doing precisely the opposite of what this article suggests.

 

How does Coconuts survive? Just ad revenue? From who?

 

 

They could at least get the right stock photo.... Lufthansa is not an Asian legacy carrier!!!

[condobrit001]

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Malaysian Airlines have already been doing this in Economy Class on flights less than 3 hrs since Jan 2016.

 

It would be nice to see some sensible and coherent reporting of the common sense facts. 

 

Its very unlikely that this will have any effect on Business or First Class travel where I'm sure services will remain the same. 

It is only Economy Class flights of a shorter duration where these services is likely to be reduced. 

 

This hardly a showstopper, particularly for many who's bottom line is price - while it may be 'a nice to have' to enjoy a glass of wine or a beer on a <3 hrs flight, its hardly 'a need to have' unless you have drinking issues. 

 

Cut the ticket prices and charge for onboard consumption of alcohol or wine... those who want to have a drink can pay, its pretty much a non-issue. 

 

(BTW: For the record, I enjoy a beer or wine on a flight and would be prepared to pay if I wanted one).

 

 

 

I agree. I can't understand why alcohol is deemed a prerequisite for air travel. It should go the same way as smoking and be banned completely. Why can't imbibers wait until they reach their destinations  to get pissed up?

[Baerboxer]

30 minutes ago, condobrit001 said:

I agree. I can't understand why alcohol is deemed a prerequisite for air travel. It should go the same way as smoking and be banned completely. Why can't imbibers wait until they reach their destinations  to get pissed up?

 

Feeding and providing drinks, hot, cold and alcohol was considered a way of keeping the punters quiet and occupied on flights. In flight entertainments have now advanced considerable of course. Increasing profitability includes cost cutting. Food and drink have gone down in quantity, quality and service over the years. Fly in short haul in Europe and you get a tiny cup of tea or coffee and a manky sandwich roll of some sort. If you want better you have to pay business/first if offered. Even then it's nothing like it used to be.

On long haul people need refreshment and meals. Banning isn't a reality, like banning the use to toilets. But guzzling booze shouldn't be either. 

The airlines need to re-think. And not just about what makes them more money. They should think what's best for the passengers for once and maybe surprise themselves.

[Michael8511]

2 years ago it was a class action lawsuit against the Airlines that cross the pacific from us. Under a 6-7 year period they had a mutual agreement to overcharge for flights. Most of the Asian airlines plead guilty and deposited a large amount of money to the pot. The case is still pending in court. When it comes to empty flights there is still airlines that it's hard to get a seat on  from us to Asia so say they have to cut alcohol to be profitable is noncence. I also understand that airlines like China southern and China eastern have low pax count even though you can get a economy class ticket for $5-600 most of the year New York to BKK they are still half full. The profit for China southern comes from the amount of cargo the 777 can carry.

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Ryan air mate. Have to pay to use the toilet. Thinking of stand-up flights where you have hand straps and poles like on the BTS and no or a few seats. Have to pay for any food or drinks, any checked-in or carry-ons and they fall about laughing if you have any kind of complaint.

 

Having said that, I used to fly from Stanstead to Eindhoven for 1 GBP with them! On quite a few trips.

 

 

Ryan air have never charged to use the toilets on a flight.... It was simply rumour and hit publicity a number of years ago. Ryan air didn't do a great deal to dispel the rumours, proving there is no such thing as bad publicity.

 

A lot of silly people believed these rumours, some went as far as believing the 'oxygen charge' rumours which soon followed. 

 

Budget carriers do exactly what it says on the Tin...  I hate them, but also see a lot of people distorting and exaggerating issues to make a point. 

----

 

Personally I hate EasyJet and will never fly them again - I was charged £160 for 20 kgs of luggage on 2 hr UK to France flight.

I was flying in a group of 4 adults (My parents (return) and my Wife and I (one way)).

We'd each purchased 20kgs of luggage (80 kgs in total).

My Parents were travelling with 20 kgs between them, My Wife and I with 60 kgs of luggage (80 kgs in total).

Upon check-in EasyJet asked us baggage belong to who and informed us that we were unable to 'pool our luggage'. As a result my Parents travelled 20 kgs underweight, I had to purchase 20 kgs additional luggage allowance.

The reason offered: I'd purchased my Parents Return ticket in a separate transaction than the One Way ticket my Wife and I were travelling on (consecutive but differing transaction numbers) - Luggage could not be pooled across separate bookings / transactions.

I was furious, raised the issue with a supervisor and then pushed it some until security started paying an interest (I'm sure they were just waiting happily for me to be 'that guy' the one who gets angry and they can jump in to action and remove him from the flight... )... needless to say, I was left with very little option but to accept the issue. 

 

Since, I have always flown with an alternative to EasyJet regardless of any additional cost - I wonder how many other passengers Vote with their feet... but it would seem not many, as EasyJet and similar companies maintain their stronghold on the budget industry.

 

It seems most travellers are only concerned with the bottom line, they'll complain about poor service but have very short memories come their next flight.The Airline Industry is well aware and responds to this, as customers we only have ourselves to blame.

 

We are getting what we in aggregate want and deserve.

 

 

 

[autoc]

7 hours ago, Thaidream said:

Why should I have to buy a business class ticket to be treated like a human being. It's because business is greedy .

 

 

Totally agree !!!

 

These airplanes all deserve to crash !!!

 

 

 

 

[Nerone]

On 7/12/2016 at 4:47 PM, Andaman Al said:

18 million flights last year with lets say an average of 200 people per flight. You can do the maths. How many inflight incidents caused by drunks?

I think they should not allow any alcoholic drinks on flights, just for safety and health/dehidration reasons

[Fookhaht]

Don't know if I could survive those cross-Pacific flights without a couple of glasses of good old vino to help put me to sleep!