The pandemic took us a long time. Time with loved ones, social interaction, economic stability and … drinking elegant wine on airplanes? Airlines do much less business than usual, CNN reports, and most have banned alcohol in flight to reduce the time flight attendants have to spend interacting with customers. (I guess this is also to reduce in-flight debauchery.) That means there’s a lot of aircraft wines designated out of nowhere – which is why American Airlines is trying to sell and deliver the excess directly to people’s homes.
The new program, called American Airlines Flagship Cellars, will allow customers to buy wine by the glass, in personalized “clean” boxes or through a $ 99 monthly subscription with a monthly shipment of three bottles. CNN reports that the wine would otherwise have served customers with American Airlines “Flagship” tickets – practically the most luxurious seat option that money can buy on international and transcontinental flights.
American Airlines told CNN that it estimates the new program will bring in revenue of up to $ 50,000 in the first three months of 2021. And that’s okay – I can understand why a massive operation would want to protect its outcome in a moment of crisis. It’s just that the rest of the American messages are a little fishy. “While revenue is important, Flagship Cellars is more of a way to interact with customers, even when they’re not traveling with us,” a spokesman told CNN. “It also gives them a taste of what you can enjoy in Flagship First or Flagship Business.” Sure, I think. I may not be able to go to work, see my friends, make plans for the future, or spend time walking around my favorite local businesses, but at least I can taste expensive airplane wine. What I would really like, though, is a transport of lukewarm ginger beer and some Biscoff wafers. Now that’s it luxurious.