Flight attendants blame airport drinking for stoking mask anger

US flight attendants are calling on airports to limit passengers’ access to alcohol before flights, saying the free flow of liquor is fueling clashes once planes are in the air. “We’ve seen an increase in the pushing of alcohol to try and get sales up,” Association of Flight Attendants president Sara Nelson said, citing data showing the number of incidents soaring. Airports are “sending the wrong message about people drinking right up to the second they get on the plane, and even that they can take that alcohol onto the plane.” While a zero-tolerance policy and improved messaging have had some impact slowing a surge in in-flight disruptions, airports have failed to discourage excessive drinking, Nelson said at a IATA conference last week. Southwest and American Airlines have banned on-board alcohol sales to economy passengers through at least January after lobbying from groups including the AFA. The comments from Nelson, whose group represents U.S. cabin crews, may help to further efforts to limit “to-go” alcohol sales at airports. Federal Aviation Administration chief Steve Dickson and Representative Peter DeFazio of Oregon have called on airport bars to stop selling such drinks for takeaway. In the U.S., outbreaks of inflight violence and unruly behavior during the pandemic have focused on compulsory wearing of face masks. <br/>