Aug. 20 (UPI) — American Airlines on Thursday extended a ban on alcohol sales in its economy class until at least January.
The airline told flight attendants it will not resume alcohol sales until Jan. 18, according to an internal obtained by NBC News.
“We are doing all we can to help create a safe environment for our crew and customers onboard our aircraft,” Stacey Frantz, American Airlines’ senior manager of flight service policies and procedures, said.
The new date is in line with a federal mask mandate for public transportation that was also extended through that date.
Frantz added that the airline was “gaining ground” in its efforts to get the Federal Aviation Administration to end alcohol to-go sales at its hub airports in Dallas and Charlotte as well as other locations.
American Airlines had previously extended a ban on the sale of alcohol through Sept. 13.
Southwest Airlines is the only other airline currently prohibiting sales of alcohol.
The airline does not have a timetable to resume alcohol sales after reverting plans to lift the restriction on most flights by July 14 after a passenger physically assaulted one of its flight attendants.
The Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday announced civil penalties totaling more than $1 million were levied against close to 4,000 unruly passengers since January.
