Comments on: The coming dehydration crisis for airline passengers

By: Karen

Karen — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:00:28 +0000

On a return trip from Hawaii to Phoenix I was stuck in the dreaded middle seat. My husband was at the window, a businessman had the aisle seat. When we arrived at the airport it was 10:30 P.M. with our departure at midnight. The gift and snack shops at the airport were all closed by this time and we could not take a bottle of water through TSA. The men to my left and right were sound asleep and I was experiencing bad cramps in my legs and a great amount of thirst. I did not want to disrupt the men and when the flight attendant came down the aisle with the drink cart I whispered that I would like a bottle of water. He whispered back “that will be $2.00″. I pointed to the overhead bin to indicate that my money was “up there” (no room to keep my purse where I had to stuff my feet) but I would happily pay for the H2O ASAP without disturbing the sleepers. The flight attendant lip synced “Sorry” and continued down the aisle. It was a miserable flight and I was in dire straits by the time I arrived in Phoenix…US Air….never again.

By: Connie M. Bauer

Connie M. Bauer — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:21:26 +0000

This is easy…bring your stainless steel or plastic empty bottle along and fill it in the airline bathroom sink, if it fits….or bring a funnel? What are your choices? very few…that is why I only fly if I Have to….TaRa….

By: Tim

Tim — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 06:43:20 +0000

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. . .

By: US Airways Now Charges for Bottled Water - What Next? | Travel Tattles

US Airways Now Charges for Bottled Water - What Next? | Travel Tattles — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:21:39 +0000

[...] 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. [...]

By: Felicia

Felicia — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:53:15 +0000

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!

By: Ted

Ted — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 21:14:50 +0000

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.

By: FF #1

FF #1 — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 20:58:23 +0000

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!!!

By: mountain troll

mountain troll — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 05:34:44 +0000

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.

By: frequent traveler

frequent traveler — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:35:43 +0000

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!

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:59:56 +0000

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.

By: Brian

Brian — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 18:16:41 +0000

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.

By: Brian

Brian — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:58:33 +0000

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.

By: Les Wilder

Les Wilder — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 04:50:42 +0000

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?

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:37:01 +0000

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.

By: Moira J

Moira J — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 05:17:36 +0000

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.