As if being the designated life-saver in the exit row wasn’t hard enough, apparently you’re not allowed to be served alcoholic drinks — until this one passenger complained.
Last weekend on a birthday United Airlines flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico, a passenger seated in the exit row of the aircraft requested an alcoholic beverage, but was denied due to an arbitrary policy made up by the flight attendant.
“A 4-hour Saturday evening flight to San Juan on my birthday eve was a bad time to learn that alcohol is not served in exit rows,” the passenger posted to the r/unitedairlines subreddit forum.
Per United Airlines policy, there are no exceptions or stipulations on serving alcoholic beverages on board to passengers other than being the legal age of 21. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also doesn’t forbid passengers seated in an exit row to be served alcohol.
It’s unclear why the United Airlines flight attendant refused to serve the passenger who was of age and sober. The Post reached out to United Airlines, which declined to comment on the situation.
“That’s not a policy. Sounds like you ran into a tyrant that makes up whatever rules they want on the spot,” one person commented on the passenger’s Reddit post.
“70 flights so far this year on United. If I don’t get upgraded, I’m in the exit row. Almost always get a drink. Definitely not a regulation,” shared another Redditor.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time United Airlines has been accused of selectively enforcing rules. In another Reddit post, one passenger took to the internet to complain after they were told they couldn’t store their laptop in the seat pocket during takeoff just last week.
“In my decade plus of flying United, this was a new one. I often have my laptop in the seat pocket during takeoff. Today from DEN to ORD I was told it could not be stowed there during takeoff and needed to go under the seat in front of me. Have I just always gotten away with this or is this not actually a rule?” They asked (which, yes, it is the rule per the FAA).
Regardless, the thirsty passenger complained to the airline and received 5,000 complimentary miles and an apology for the flight attendant’s blunder. Proof that if you complain enough, you can get anything in life.
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