The coming dehydration crisis for airline passengers
Let’s fast-forward to Aug. 1, when US Airways begins to charge for soft drinks on its flights, including bottled water. How’s that going to go over?
Not very well. In fact, over the long term, depriving passengers of basic necessities like drinkable water could cost the carrier more than the revenue it will generate.
Let’s clear up a few things first.
The “free” water on the plane is city tapwater that’s been sitting in the tank for hours. It’s gross.
We can’t bring bottled water through a TSA screening area under the agency’s ineffective and widely misunderstood 3-1-1 rule. So you basically have to buy the airline’s water at $2 a bottle, which is a steep markup from the grocery store price.
If you’re a budget traveler, you could find yourself strapped in an economy class seat on a long flight with nothing to drink and no money to pay for essential water. And that, say passengers like James Hammett, can be extremely dangerous.
He ought to know. On a recent international flight, his sister became dehydrated and had to be treated by a doctor.
In the era of free drinks, she had not drunk enough to avoid this problem. If people start having to pay for water, their natural inclination is going to be to reduce their consumption. How long until the airlines start getting claims for reimbursement for doctor or hospital visits — or lawsuits?
I have no problem with charging passengers for sodas and fruit juices, nor do I think most passengers would mind paying for those items. But drinkable water? That ought to remain free.
Common sense tells you that. Alas, common sense appears to be in short supply.
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54 Responses to “The coming dehydration crisis for airline passengers”
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You can always buy the steeply marked up water at the gift store in the airport, too. Of course, with new FAA regulations, you can’t put it in your seatback pocket.
Is this new $2 debacle for the whole can, or are you still entitled to only the little cup? I don’t fly USAir, but I can see United jumping on this shameful bandwagon soon enough.
You’re missing an easy and inexpensive option.
There’s no TSA rule that says you can’t bring an empty water bottle through the check point. I travel with a plastic water bottle, which I make sure is empty before I enter the security line. Then, on the other side, I fill it from a water fountain, and carry it on to the plane. It’s less expensive than buying bottled water; it’s better for the environment than buying a bottle of water that consumed lots of energy in production and delivery and refrigeration; and it’s more convenient to be able to take a swig when I need it instead of waiting for the appointed hour at which flight attendants can serve drinks in the cabin.
Maybe the trick will be to bring an empty bottle, then fill it in the bathroom before boarding.
I agree with Larry- bring an empty bottle and fill it in the drinking fountain. Although, some airport’s fountains are definitely tastier than others…
Filling an empty bottle is a perfect solution. Sounds like a good way to defeat the outrageous airport prices and the silly on-board fees for water, as well.
Will US also charge for a cup of ice so I can drink said water or the bottle of soda I buy in the terminal?
I gotta tell you, though, I wouldn’t drink out of most of those water fountains and I’m no germaphobe.
I suppose you can get one of those bottles that have a filter inside them. More expensive at first, but the costs would balance out after a few flights.
Now I didn’t know they were going to charge for water as well. Unbelievable. I need someone to explain to me how this nickel and diming the customer actually helps the bottom line.
To amend the thought already posted here: bring an empty bottle or more through the checkpoint, then fill it with water from a restaurant soda fountain. Most won’t mind if you fill up with water from their fountains!
@ Chicky: Filling an empty bottle is not a perfect solution.
A perfect solution is an end to the madness of the TSA and airlines, so that we can fly under normal circumstances again. Remember those days? You’d just buy a ticket, check your bags and after a decent security check, you’d get on a plane and nicely fly to your destination.
If an airline wants to charge me for a drink, I want to be able to bring my own 12 pack of 2L bottles.
Boycott US Air starting now - before the other goofy Airlines management follow suit…and show that passengers are not going to take everything bending down…
[...] today’s blog entry from travel consumer writer Chris Elliott (”The coming dehydration crisis for airline passengers“), I was disconcerted to learn that the new policy US Airways is implementing for charging [...]
And you know the airlines are going to give you the 16.9oz water for $2. Walmart can sell a 20 pack for $4 - which is 50 cents a bottle. And, Walmart is making a profit - you know the airline is gonna cut a deal and pay 30 cents a bottle - $1.70 profit, times say 100 passengers for a 2 hour flight. minimum $200 extra revenue per flight.
2000 flights per day, 360 days a year, $200 a flight = $144,000,000 - thats Million - a year in additional revenue. I simply can’t imagine parents not buying the kids a soda. Some people will buy 2 - some will buy none. OVer time, the revenue will decrease as people become more accustomed to bringing an empty water bottle and filling it at water fountains - which will soon get lines like the telephone kiosks in the old days [-pre 1996]. Until some genius comes up with the next brilliant idea, whatever it might be.
Now, Chris, this all being said, you don’t get free anything on the bus or the train and people have survived for a 100 years [150 in the case of the train] without free hydration and a snack car- how different is this? Sure, Sure sure, flying in a cabin is dehydrating, but people need to not be stupid. I’d be really angry if some numbnuts gets dehydrated from lack of basic intelligence ad causes my flight to be delayed.
I always try to bring some water, even when drinks are free. You don’t know how much time will elapse between door closure and actually receiving a drink. If you are in the last row of cattle class, it could be 2-3 hours.
Not every airport has either a drinking fountain, bathroom or store on the other side of security so you can either buy water or fill an empty bottle. Kansas City is an example.
What if you’re running at full speed through the airport trying to make a connection because your earlier flight was delayed and you don’t have time to stop and refill?
I’m already taking huge bag of things to keep my kids occupied on the plane and now I have to bring water too?
This reminds me of an Air France flight I once took from Paris where apparently the caterers were on strike. They put an insufficient amount of beverages on the plane. When I complained after returning (when I had only 1 tiny soda in 8 hours) Air France told me beverages were not required and that I should be grateful I got anything at all. (This was in 2001 way before the current mindset). I replied that you can’t trap 200 people on an airplane for 8 hours with no beverages and no warning that there would be no beverage. (There was no food either) It was a Continental codeshare and Continental refunded me for that half of my trip, realizing that was utter nonsense.
I flew peasant class on Aeroflot once, it is all starting to feel like that.
@ Joe F: The difference is that on a bus and a train I can bring my 12-pack of 2L bottles from Walmart. Thanks to the insanity at th TSA, I can’t do that on a plane.
Like many others, I always bring an empty bottle and refill it after going through security.
Victoria, I refilled my bottle at MCI in Kansas City courtesy of the Burger King. I asked and they had no problem with it, probably since I also bought food.
I will buy water from the airport before I think of giving US Airways money for a cup of water. However, I believe that depriving customers of potable water during long waits is in direct violation of their Customer Service Plan: http://www.usairways.com/awa/content/aboutus/customersfirst/customerserviceplan.aspx
“Meet essential needs during long on-aircraft delay
The airlines will make every reasonable effort to provide food, water, restroom facilities and access to medical treatment for passengers onboard an aircraft that is on the ground for an extended period of time without access to the terminal, as consistent with passenger and employee safety and security concerns.”
But since I do not plan to fly this airline again after my next two booked trips, I guess this is moot for me.
@Jasper- you can bring your 12 pack of 2 liters through TSA - they just have to be empty. Fill them on the other side.
I travel several times a month for work. Since the December when American Airlines left people stranded on the tarmac in Austin for 12 hours, I have made it a point to never get on any plane, no matter how short the flight, without water and a snack of some sort. Usually I carry beef jerky and trail mix because they both pack well. For water, I’ve been carrying a Katadyn Micro filter water bottle that filters out all kinds of nasty stuff like Giardia and bacteria. I fill it after I get through Security.
Folks, it’s all about money. In this day of high gas prices, and record losses, the airlines will take whatever measures, no matter how unpopular, to make money. Sure, in the past, many things were complimentary. But, those days are over due to deregulation, and the economic situation. You really do get what you pay for. Soon, expect to pay for pillows, blankets, and possibly, an aisle seat. As gas prices, and expenditures increase, more and more it comes to the fact that your money only covers the cost for the seat itself. I’m sure the airlines realize how unpolular some of these tactics will be. Many of you have express an intention to take your business elsewhere. You know what? I’m sure they knew that when they implemented the policies, but they did it anyway! What does that tell you?! The fact is, most airlines are at 90 percent, or higher, capacity everyday anyway. Due to our economics, and the terrorist attacks that have taken place, this is the scenario, for air travel, these days. Vent, switch to another air carrier, (that will soon follow this policy), or take the bus/train if you like, but this is the way things have become based on the circumstances mentioned above.
Charge me an extra 20 bucks for my airline ticket and quit adding extra charges for everything. With that 20 bucks (across the airline companies board) give me back my 2 pieces of luggage and my drink. You can keep the food thankyouverymuch. I’ll grab my own sandwich at McDonalds before I get on. Reheaded fries are always more tasty than anything I’ve had on a plane.
As someone who has been bringing empty bottles on flights for years - yes, it generally works - but not always. I have had my EMPTY bottles confiscated at various Asian airports, as they adopt the better be safe than sorry rule towards figuring out TSA rules on flights to the states.
interesting… $2.00 per bottle, and they wonder why the big airlines are going under.. Just another reason for me to fly Southwest
why is it the airlines’ responsibility to make sure that miss cheap/tightwad stays properly hydrated? what happened to personal responsibility and being prepared? if someone doesn’t have $2 to spare for water maybe he/she shouldn’t be traveling in the first place!!
bringing the empty water battles threw security then filling them at the fountain is a thing we have been doing since all this stared. weren’t we suprised and dumbfounded when security said NO empty water bottles allowed threw anymore in shanon ireland !!! when questioned about this being the only airport in the world that does this they said it’s “airport policy”. It won’t be a problem for us as we can’t afford this country as our yearly destination after 8 yrs running anymore. We found croatia this year !!!.
One airline announced plans to lay off 2,000 staff and cancel 13% of its U.S. and 7% of its international flights by November this year blaming the cuts on increasing fuel prices. As fuel prices continue to rise, airlines will become more inventive in their effort to cut costs and remain solvent. Unfortunately, many of the services we take for granted will disappear.
I will not be sorry to see pillows and blankets go as I believe they are insanitary anyway. We could also bid farewell to the food and instead bring our favourite snacks such as nuts and dried fruits. Don’t care much for the movies either as I find sleep or Sudoku more entertaining. However, water and washrooms are something else. These two services must be maintained at all costs. If airlines decide to sell water, we will either have to buy our own water after clearing security or build the cost into our budgets and buy it on board.
If neither of those options is suitable, then we may have to go back to taking the train or bus, if available. I do not recommend filling bottles from fountains, etc. as the risk of the water being contaminated is too high.
Flight attendants would be well advised to prepare for more job losses since with service cuts there will be little for them to do inflight.
I just wanted to clarify the flight were my sister suffered from Dehydration was quite a while ago.
Flying is very different from riding a train (except for maybe the new trans-siberian express, where passengers can actually suffer Altitude Sickness). The plane’s atmosphere is incredibly dry and also the cabin is only pressurized to several thousand feet ABOVE sea level. Combine this with reduced sleep (or sleep quality) and you and you’re body are under a lot of stress.
Normally you think of dehydration after sitting in the hot sun or working out and sweating. (In the dry cabin the moisture simply evaporates and you don’t see any sweat). With the absence of these obvious signs most people probably forget about the need to replace fluids. Unless a person is actually mindful of the need to drink water, they run a risk of dehydration.
(I’m sure that many cases of dehydrations have simply been shrugged off as jet-lag. For the old, ill or young, it may be a more serious issue ).
As far as I know, my mom simply paid the copay at our doctors and took care of it. Everyone was surprised about. Since then we have always taken and drunk lots of water on the flights.
The security people at Air France confiscated my empty water bottles.
@ Joe F: Let me speficy: I can’t bring my 12-pack of 2L bottles with me, filled with the drink of my choise.
I can only bring emtpy containers to be filled up with the poor quality fountain water. Makes me think. Hmmm. Is a water filter allowed in my hand luggage?
Anyway, it is insane, you can’t bring a drink on a plane.
@ Marissa - are you for real?
As for US Airways charging for drinks and water - it’s ridiculous. It’s just another shining example of the decline of the airline industry all due to greed.
[...] crisis in the skies? Christopher Elliott of elliott.org is reporting that one woman had to be treated for dehydration on a flight that was charging for [...]
Re the empty bottle solution, I tried that last year, and had the empty bottles confiscated at security on the way to the plane, several times.
I routinely carry a camelbak water bottle through security (after making sure the night before that it is totally empty and dry)… nobody’s ever said word one to me about it–I just pass it through the x-ray machine carabiner-clipped to my backpack.
Granted, it’s a pain in the behind sometimes, but I agree… I’ve been on some of those flights where you don’t get drinks until over an hour after door-closing… which can be 30-45 minutes after you got on… by which time, depending on where you are, you can be seriously on your way to dehydration!
“Of course, with new FAA regulations, you can’t put it in your seatback pocket. ”
Huh??? Can someone explain this? Why can’t we put water bottles in our seat back pocket? I’ve never heard of this and have never been told not to?
I would love to question the TSA folks who want to take my EMPTY water bottle from me, but I’m afraid that any questioning of their AUTHORITY would be seen as a hostile action and I’d end up behind a curtain somewhere in a compromising position. I mean, really, what possible security reason can they give for confiscating a plain, empty, plastic, cylindrical container?
The last time I flew ( Summer 2005) I took a camelback and a Nalgene bottle with me (empty of course) through security. I was asked why I needed both and was grilled for 10 mins on why I needed to travel with both water carriers. I looked them straight in the eye and pulled out my business card, handing one to each agent that was there and said…….I work for the Canadian Consulate as a disability advocate and attorney, I know the laws and you are infringing on my right as a disabled passenger (I have Cerebral Palsy and Epilepsy) to travel safely. I also told them that I contacted TSA and they said that I could carry on a Camelback (empty and dry) and a Nalgene bottle for consumption of liquids that I purchased after I went through security. Needless to say they were taken aback and tried to hold me longer. I had the TSA phone number on speed dial (1-866-289-9673) and they gave in when I told them I was going to talk to someone higher up on the chain of command. Now I don’t fly if I don’t have to. (Thank G-d for Amtrak and Via Rail!) but when I have to I always make sure to carry a doctors note, my medication and my wits and attitude because you know that most people are not going to garner you the respect even though you may do so in return.
Chris — I see that you got a backtrack link to my Travelite FAQ blog; thanks!
I agree with you that this new policy is just outrageous. It actually makes me think of places like Woodstock and Coachella where they hold hot and dehydrated customers captive then insist on charging for bottled water.
The Camelbak is a good solution since it collapses; my blog entry refers to the Platypus bottles, which are like the Camelbaks but collapse even more, and can be slipped into the side pocket of a carry-on bag.
In August 2007 at Pearson airport, TSA confiscated four 500 mL bottles of water from my husband. After clearing security, we were able to purchase two 1.5L bottles from one of the snack bars in the lounge area. We were also able to purchase sandwiches and cookies. We took these on board in our carry-on luggage. We consumed the water on board and none of the flight attendants objected to this. On board, half-glasses of water were served on request. Another thing was when we landed in the other country (it would be a Sunday), we faced a four-hour train trip to our ultimate destination. The food facilities at the train station that are open on Sunday offer only potato chips, chocolate and soda pop - not our preferred fare. As we had anticipated this, the sandwiches and cookies we bought at Pearson served us very well.
We wondered why TSA would confiscate water to prevent it being taken on board and then permit passengers to purchase water in the terminal and take that on board. Something doesn’t quite add up. Is it that there is more suspicion attached to the water they confiscate and that the water being sold in the terminal is guaranteed to be safe? I hope this is not a loophole that they overlooked and now I am making them aware of it.
@Moira J Its not a loophole. They now refer to the snack areas behind the security checkpoints as “sterile areas” because they assume that any drink purchased at the airport past the security check point is safe (ie not a liquid explosive). The TSA regulation is (theoretically) not about increasing the food court or the airline’s bottom line, it’s (supposedly) about keeping people safe.
So there is (flawed) logic behind this particular procedure.
The empty-water-bottle trick? Done it at least 10 times, in multiple cities over two continents. I have a 1.5L nalgene with my university name printed on it (and a couple of stickers too - perhaps this personal touch helps?), empty and not packed away (caribiner-ed to the outside of my backpack). Every time I walk through security, I get the x-ray screener’s attention and open the bottle to show him/her that its empty. Once i’m through security, its off to the nearest water fountain. (water thats from a water fountain is exactly the same as whats in a bottle - two hydrogens, one oxygen. anyone who believes otherwise should repeat high school chemistry.) A liter and a half is a lot of water (and I drink a lot of water anyway), but is usually more than enough to last my regular trip from seattle to new york.
I wonder if this “cost saving” is going to end up biting the airlines in the behind. Presumably it’s not just the cost of the beverages but also the cost of the fuel to transport them. Say you’ve got a full A320 or B737 with 16 Business class passengers and 132 economy passengers, if all the economy class passenger bring a 1.5 L bottle of water that’s an additional 198 kg of weight that have to be transported. I suspect that the carts carrying the beverages through the aisle don’t weigh 200 kgs.
I would advise against overhydrating on any flight, the last thing you want to do is use the filthy dirty airplane restroom any more frequently than is absolutely necessary.
Everyone is aware that water is H2O, but when you fill up at the water fountain, how do you know that H2O is all that you are getting? The water may not have been contaminated at its source, but when you fill your container, unwanted bacteria, etc. could be mixed in with the H2O. Forgive me for being indelicate, but have you ever witnessed an individual brushing his teeth with toothpaste at the water fountain and expectorating into the drain of the fountain? I have. I have seen people washing all kinds of items at these fountains and sometimes people’s mouths come in contact with the tap. Do we know where the water is coming from? Are the fountains ever sterilized or even cleaned? Does the overflowing water ever re-enter the system? I am very fastidious where drinking water is concerned and not knowing the answers to these questions will say that I would drink from a fountain only if I found myself in a desert at the proverbial oasis and that was the only source of water. The same would go for the taps in public washrooms.
Brittany @ 4:17pm,
The Burger King in Kansas City is outside the security zone. Therefore, any water you obtain there you won’t be allowed to fly with.
Ten years ago I had a plane change at Kansas City. The boarding area had no restrooms, no water fountain, no concessions, no flight status screens (they were pointed through a glass partition to the outside) and deplaning passengers were herded outside security so they would have to come back through inspection.
We surmised at the time that the inspection concession (this was pre-TSA) got paid by the passenger and the airport management was in cahoots.
We asked the agent at Southwest’s podium why the flight status screen bank couldn’t be turned so passengers in departure could see it. He actually snarled (unusual for a Southwest staffer), “Because they won’t let us!”
We never again booked a schedule that would take us through Kansas City. Do I gather corrrectly that not much has improved since we were there?
Okay, don’t you think you’re getting a little reactionary here? Do you seriously think dehydration can occur on a domestic flight? Dehydration is a process that takes place over a couple days of not consuming sufficient liquids, not missing a glass of water for a six hour flight. Someone who gets dehydrated on a plane will already have a serious medical issue before they get on the plane.
While I agree that airlines have learned to nickel and dime passengers to death just like the banking industry has been doing for years, this doesn’t mean that paying for drinks is going to necessitate an emergency room visit every time a plane lands.
Have these airline execs never heard of travelers with medicine? Or more likely, they have heard about them and simply do not care.
Airlines (or any businesses) which engage in such practices, must be avoided, lest such behavior is encouraged.
Travel is expensive. End of story. Due to the crap dollar and oil prices, it is slowly becoming prohibitively expensive for many middle class people.
You simply must include $7 in your travel budget for water and a snack from inside the terminal for your flight. It sucks, but it’s common sense and personal responsibility. Get used to it.
For Pete’s sake, airlines are not nannies and we’re not children.
I have a blood clotting disorder, where I NEED to stay well hydrated or I will throw a clot.
I don’t think the airlines have thought this through. If I don’t have the cash on me to pay $2 for a cup of water every 1/2 hour or so (i.e. $10 on a cross-country flight over the US), are they willing to pay for my medical expenses for taking care of a blood clot I receive from flying with them? Last time I was hospitalized for a clot, it cost my insurance over $100,000… Talking about being penny-wise but pound-foolish!
when you are traveling….. you better to have money on you
NOTHING is free…. and I mean NOTHING. you will have to pay one way or the other.
EVERYTHING. and I MEAN EVERTHING has a price on it. now… How much you willing to pay?
GROWTH…… ALL CEOs are looking at growth…. even the COMPANY you are working for is looking for growth. IT wants more revenues, more profits so the CEO can answer to the SHAREHOLDERS, not you or me, who are working for the COMPANY.
Maybe it’s not the INCOME the airlines are thinking about… maybe it’s the LOSS OF CASH in providing freebies. Some airline did a study and found that removing 3 little peanuts from each snack pack would save them millions of dollars. Why shouldn’t they try to keep their expenses to a minimum for creature comforts?
As for frequent traveler, you MUST be kidding! Just because your health condition mandates a certain amount of water every 1/2 hour, what, exactly, makes you think an airline should be responsible for ensuring that quota is met or pay for your medical treatment.
You are an adult. Take care of YOURSELF. If you can’t afford $10 for the water, bring empty containers (as suggested), or even bring a doctor’s note saying you should be allowed to carry water on board because of the quantity required.
But don’t just sit there and say the airline is responsible for your medical care!!!
The last time I flew, I had to wait for some time at the otherwise uncrowded TSA checkpoint as someone passed about a dozen cases of bottled water through the X-ray machine. It was destined to be sold at inflated prices by the concessionaire in the sterile area, which I verified as the very same brand and size I saw in the shop.
It appears that the TSA considers an ordinary X-ray sufficient to ensure the safety of bottles of liquid that, when sold by an authorized airport concessionaire at an extortionate price, can be carried on an aircraft. But that procedure isn’t sufficient to ensure the safety of an identical bottle, purchased at a normal price, when carried by passengers themselves. I did my very best to maintain a blank poker face while witnessing this scene, since I could get in trouble if I showed signs of disloyalty. But I think I’ll write my Congressman and ask him why this policy makes any sense, and why it does anything to protect aircraft.
There’s clearly nothing resembling common sense in anything the TSA does. But the TSA invariably responds to questions about the Emperor’s invisible clothes by insisting it’s all perfectly sensible based on classified intelligence. Since divulging anything more would harm national security, we’re supposed to accept their assurances on faith (and pay no attention to the man behind the curtain).
I actually think the TSA is telling the truth on this. But the implementation resembles the children’s game of “Telephone.” They may indeed have started with valid intelligence; but by the time it wends its way through the Homeland Security bureaucracy and gets translated into rules and procedures simple enough for screeners to follow mindlessly, it degenerates into an arbitrary, pointless, and inconsistently-applied hassle to travelers that does nothing to protect anyone or anything.
I’m a business traveler who only sits in economy. Unfortunately, my employer will not pay for the upgrade…. Shucks!
Who said you can not board the plane with bottled water or juice in your bag? I have done this ever since the regulation passed. How it works:
1. After you go through the screening you ARE ALLOWED to take the airports food & beverage on the planes.
2. I mean there have been just a few times I brought my own drink from outside into airport and it passed security…(A good example of security not doing their job)… But on a particular trip I was questioned by the officers, they pulled me aside, asked me to sip it, I told them it was my “diabetic drink”. I guess they didn’t see me gag to death and realized it was safe and allowed me to go through.
3. Some airlines provide drinks for free. Not all of them charge. I travel 3 x a week and I would say Delta, AA and Southwest did not ask for money when I sat in my 23C seat!
[...] Few people have a problem with an airline charging for soft drinks. But water? Come on. Given the fact that the tap water they serve on planes is often not potable, that leaves us with few alternatives. [...]
I don’t even bother with carrying my own bottle. . .instead I stop at Starbucks and ask for a venti ice water, which even airport locations will give you for free. The water is filtered and cold and the cup can even be reused/refilled at your next stop if you are trying to be green. Granted not every airport has a Starbucks, but most have at least something similar, even smaller, regional airports. I’ve only had the misfortune of flying through Kansas City once, and it was enough to make me avoid it in the future; my condolences to those who have no other choice. . .