American Airlines extends alcohol ban due to altercations on flights

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - As more and more violence erupts on airlines, some airlines are banning alcohol from its flights.

That means some airline passengers should not expect an alcoholic beverage while flying.

American Airlines recently announced it has extended its pause on alcohol sales.

This comes after a Southwest Airlines flight attendant was recently assaulted.

[RELATED] Southwest bans woman accused of assaulting flight attendant

American Airlines officials say there have been several incidents on their flights, but the assault of the flight attendant aboard Southwest was pretty much the final straw.

Now, airline officials are buckling down on behavior they say they will not tolerate. That starts with eliminating booze from flights.

“These actions onboard the aircraft - what may start out as little actions can become really big problems really quickly,” said Sara Nelson, President of the Association of Flight Attendants. “And we’re stuck in a metal tube where we can’t call for help or people cannot walk away. So, we’ve all got to treat each other with respect.”

Both Charlotte and Augusta are hubs for American Airlines, and over the summertime, traveling picks up drastically.

The alcohol ban will remain in place until September 13, except for first class and business class.

Airline personnel says they’ve seen everything from verbal attacks to pulling on lanyards and other heated confrontations.

They hope this alcohol ban will help address it. “We want to be clear that anyone causing a disturbance on board an aircraft or within the airport environment will be punished with fines and possible criminal charges,” said Darby LaJoye, acting TSA Administrator.

The end of the alcohol ban in September coincides with the end of the TSA’s mask mandate for all planes.