United Airlines: No, You Cannot Have A Diet Coke

Sitting on the plane last week waiting for departure, the flight attendant came around offering pre-departure drinks.  Orange Juice, Sparkling Wine, or Water.  Would it be possible, I asked, to have Diet Coke.  "No" said the flight attendant.  Eventually, realizing that this might be really a rude way to speak to a customer, he explained that they cannot open the bar until after take-off.

I travel about 400,000 miles a year.  I ask for a Diet Coke just about every time I am offered a pre-departure beverage.  About 90% of the time I get one.  About 10% of the time, I get an explanation that like "we can't open the bar until after take-off."

Not being an expert on aviation regulations or a flight attendant myself, I don't know if they're just violating the rules for me or if they're lying. Truth be told, as with so many "regulations" that are announced by flight attendants, they are not really rules.  They are just make things easier for themselves.

No Diet Coke for You

Creative Commons Photo, Flickr