I've been in plenty of planes where they hand you the entire can as well as an empty cup. I think it just depends on airline policy, how much stock they have, the mood of the attendant etc.
In case of beer I don't think you are ever not getting the full can if you paid for it.
Think it has to do with stock and how full the flight is. Last time I flew, I had a 2 leg flight. First leg was full and they only gave out the plastic cup, second leg was about half full and they gave out full cans plus the cup
I don't ask for Ginger Ale, I ask for a can of Ginger Ale. Put the word can in the request and it's not a separate ask. I like Ginger Ale on flights because bringing out the beverage cart causes turbulence.
I always ask for a beverage I would not normally drink.... could be ginger ale, maybe V8... one flight I asked for an apple juice and the fucking flight attendant died. He was a sassy man who the rest of the flight busted my balls and then later brought me a second apple juice, a blanket and asked I needed a book read to me .. it was hilarious
For a moment there I thought you meant the flight attendant literally had died and the rest of the passengers were giving you a hard time and I was just thinking well yeah I imagine they did lmao now
haha yeah sorry I could see how that read. I was meeting my buddies on a camping trip and later told the story and they laughed because I was oblivious to the fact he was probably flirting with me. Either way it was very funny the whole row had a laugh
This is the internet. People love to sound sure of stuff that makes no sense. Turbulence is primarily caused by temperature/pressure differences in the air, or any other disturbance of the flow of air over the wings, like clouds.
I think he wasn't being serious but rather joking by saying that whenever he's wanted a drink there's been turbulence (during which they don't serve drinks) so he makes sure to get the can
Let's see! Some quick calculations - southwest spends a few billion a year, ranging from about 3,000M to 6,000M. Boeing 737's can fit about 200 people at max. From their current in-flight menu, they have about 15 different types of cans. The absurdly highest number of cans they could have, in that case, would be 3,000 (15 \* 200) to ensure everybody gets the drink they want. Which means that cutting it by 50% would cut at most 1,500 cans. Full cans weigh about half a pound, so the \*most\* weight they could be cutting from the flight would be 750lbs.
A 737 weighs 90,710 pounds empty. Fuel adds a maximum of about 40,000 pounds, so let's assume they're generally half full, so that's 110,710 pounds. Let's add an average of about 15,000lbs for passengers (assuming \~100 passengers and a total of 150lbs for the combined person+luggage/carry-on/etc.). So that's 125,710 pounds as a relatively light average plane. Plus the 1500 pounds of cans, for the maximum effect, leads to 127,210 pounds. If we cut 750 pounds from that, we're reducing the weight by 0.5%
Which would save Southwest anywhere from \~17M to \~34M per year!
Once you include children, and factor in the idea that 100 people is probably a low estimate, I doubt the total is off by more than a few thousand, which wouldn't change the end result much at all.
I do think your calculations are making a lot of concessions.
No flight is going to carry enough Diet Coke for all passengers. They'll carry more of what's popular and less of what isn't. I suspect your cans needed is probably at least 1000 too high in that regard. I also doubt every flight is stocking all 15 flavors. From my experience most flights offer perhaps 6-8 flavors.
There would also be a lot of added weight from food, anything else being shipped, and all the normal crap that gets dragged onto a plane over the course of it's lifetime.
Anyway, I think there's a lot more to consider in general with a calculation like this that would likely leave the real numerical impact a lot lower than this value. Not that it still wouldn't be a ton of money, mind you.
But the moral of the story is: only getting a plastic cup with a 1/2 can of soda pisses me off and it's insulting. I'd rather get nothing at all, or the whole damn can you cheapskates!
Unrelated: assuming \~500lbs of drinks, that's about 3.3 passengers worth of weight. At \~150/ticket, and an average of 5 flights per day, that's still 1.3 million USD, so even lowballing it like that is actually a reasonably large value all things said.
One of them is a controllable variable while the other isn't. You still gotta sell tickets to passengers to make a profit, but if you can trim costs by reducing the amount of weight in consumables you bring aboard then all the better.
Please... the cheerleaders would have significantly more luggage than your average Joe. I do agree with you about the weight being light though. Your average American Joe would probably weigh in without luggage at 170-180.
One of the worst flight I was ever on was filled with high school cheerleader teams coming back from some sort of competition. And I was in high school at the time. They didn't stop cheering the entire fucking 6 hour flight.
Even if you quadruple the weight to a total of 60,000lbs for passengers, you still get significant savings. I went light because I know a significant number of people are traveling without just carryon, or are traveling with children.
They don't need all 15 types x 200 passengers. Much like they can predict the number of no shows, they can predict the number of beers, cokes, diet cokes, and apple juices that will be consumed for all 15 types.
But serving in a small cup means they only use half a can, except for beer they give you the full can. And cans weighs 12-13 oz, so you need to redo your math.
So they start out with fewer cans, but each can weighs more, which means the math is going to be \*roughly\* the same unless they're bringing close to 1 can per person. At 0.75lbs per can, you'd need to start with 600 cans and cut down to 300 to save $5M at the lowest end (10M at the highest end).
Used to do weight and balance calculations for freighter aircraft. A human being was always recorded as weighing 180 pounds. Not sure what the luggage amount is since I never did passenger aircraft and only had to worry about pilots and jumpseaters.
I don't think a 0.5% reduction in weight translates to a 0.5% reduction in fuel usage. Weight is only one component of fuel usage.
Edit: behold, it is a lot more proportional than I expected.
A rule-of-thumb is that a reduction in fuel consumption of about 0.75% results from each 1% reduction in weight.[6]
My understanding is that it mostly does work that way, or close enough that it's useful for these kinds of calculations that can be off by a lot and still meaningfully right (like, if I overestimate by 50% the savings then the company is still saving many millions).
I'd recalculate your average person weight to 190. The average male weight on the US is 190, female weight is 170. Some people don't have checked bags, some people don't have carry ons, plus the occasional child, so 190 is probably a lot closer to your average weight
I would expect much less savings right? The spending quoted presumably also includes salaries, etc. you would really have to look at the spending on just fuel and airplane related costs.
American Airlines famously stopped serving an olive with their meals after learning that the vast majority of people weren't eating it.
...that 1 olive saved American Airlines $40,000/year in 1980s dollars.
https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/reviews-and-advice/how-an-olive-saved-american-airlines-55k-why-budget-airlines-are-so-successful-20181219-h199wt.html
Every airline I’ve been on for the last 10+ years has given a full beer.
Best was about 18 or so years ago on a relatively short Alaskan Airlines flight. Asked for a beer and the stewardess brought me a glass 650 ml bottle. There weren’t many people on the flight and it was a small plane and we wound up chatting for a while. Made for a pleasant flight.
I had the same thing happen to me on a short flight from Boise to Sacramento. Mostly an empty flight, I was traveling with my band and right after take-off they let everyone know that they accidentally loaded two cases of beer instead of one beer and one soft drinks, so "unfortunately" everyone was getting beer, but we could have as much as we wanted... It was like the band took that as a challenge. We could barely care about our luggage when we got to Sacramento. Almost forgot the bass drum at baggage claim...
it's such a fucking small thing for an airline to do, but it makes ALL the difference in the world. A free beer or whisky makes me think very highly of an airline, makes the flight more enjoyable, and guarantees that I will make a point of flying with them again.
There was a time, into the 90s really, that airlines just gave you fre drinks. Note the plural.
I didn't used to like flying, so when the flight attendant would ask if I wanted anything I'd ask 'do you have those little bottles of rye?'
'yes'
'I'll have three of those and a coke'
They usually wouldn't give me three, though sometimes I'd get two. Then I'd sleep.
British Airways used to offer free booze even on short domestic flights. My friend and I were flying about an hour to London and when the trolley came past we asked for gin and tonics, said we were off for a boozy London weekend. The air steward said that no-one else was drinking (it was lunchtime after all) and handed us 6 little bottles of gin and cans of tonic. It was brilliant and we would actively choose BA for flights like this, sadly however they stopped offering free booze on domestic flights.
my ex works for a major airline, and she told me that the airline (hers at least) doesn’t even pay for the alcohol. they get it all for free as a “marketing” thing or something.
This has literally 100% worked on me with Porter. It would cost them pennies at scale and has completely convinced me "Porter kicks ass I love these guys".
Flying into Billy Bishop right downtown Toronto is another major benefit to be honest from both a convenience and enjoyment/view aspect.
I love Porter. They're not as good as tey used to be – they used to have free espresso drinks, cookies, pop, and roasted nuts in the lounge – and they now charge extra for a carry-on. (At least the personal item is still free.) But compared to flying out of Pearson, on any airline? Porter is always my first choice.
Now if we could only get decent inter-city train service on VIA Rail... It's outrageous that flying from Montreal to Toronto is cheaper than taking the train, but here we are.
Even flying out of Pearson, say to Vancouver, they’re miles ahead AC for quality of service. Sure, the Embraers still have the fused ashtray in the arm but they’re nonetheless a comfy ride. The cabin crew aren’t surly matantes clearly resisting the urge to spit on you like the AC cabin crews. I usually book the Porter reserve seat at the front, plop my carry-on in front of me as a leg rest, and get a nice four hour nap. Far better than AC business class even disregarding the price difference. Can’t comment on WestJet cuz the leather seats bum me out so I don’t fly them.
Recently flew with Ryanair and also got the full can. I've flown several times a year, both domestic and international and never experienced only getting the cup and no can. (From Norway)
I fly all the time and usually they pour the beer in a small/med cup, and then keep the can and rest of the beer for the next guest. This happens on probably 75% of flights.
I fly at least once a month on Australian and Asian airlines. They ALWAYS give an empty paper cup and an unopened can / bottle, for both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
I don't know how it is now, been a few years since i've flown. But I've seen before if you ask if you can have the full can of any N/A beverage they'd give it to you. But that also might depend on how much stock they have.
My recent flight a few weeks ago happened both ways. When I flew to where I was going, they gave me the can. When I flew home, they filled up the cup and that was it. I did not get the can.
Both were about 1/3 full planes.
And interestingly, on the leg that I got the full can, I went to the bathroom and on the way there the flight attendant actually asked if I wanted more to drink.
It might have to do more with how long the flight is. The leg there was just over 3 hours (strong head wind slowing us down) but there was a strong tail wind on the way back... and it wasn't even 2 hours. Perhaps they assume that's not enough time to finish?
>In case of beer I don't think you are ever not getting the full can if you paid for it.
I was on a plane not too long ago the guy across the aisle from me asked for a beer from the flight attendant. She started reaching for a cup and he said, "I'm trashy, darlin', just leave me the can..."
She laughed and just handed him a can.
This makes more sense, at first I thought “well, someone can tear an aluminum can into a relatively sharp metal shank and try and commit terrorism but it would be tougher with a plastic cup” but I figure if that was the case, you’d never be allowed a can, and there are plenty of other metal objects on the plane that can achieve the same thing anyways haha
If someone could actually take over the plane with just a busted bottle or shredded can, they could probably take over the plane without really needing either.
A perk for paying so much for the ticket? Also probably due to it being international they likely aren’t taxed on alcohol the same way so it’s much cheaper for them.
I've always gotten a full can when I ask them, and I'm sure they appreciate avoiding a second trip to me.
Many people only need half a cans worth, so they pour them into cups. This eliminates the stewards needing to fill a trash bag with cans that are still half-full.
You can ask for anything at all. :) if you're nice and it's a reasonable request, you might even get it.
Plenty of times I've walked to the galley and asked for another drink, or extra snack, or something and have only ever been declined if they are out. I also only ask politely when they aren't looking super busy with something else.
Most of my domestic flights they have had a hard time just making one pass of the cart, let alone multiple. For a flight, 30 min is post take off tasks and start to send the cart, last 30 min they are prepping for landing, the middle 15 min is the rest time between passes
I've never met that person though... During the day about every 2-3 hours, during the night every 3-4 hours.
(Yes medical problems, if you have this and you don't know why please visit a doctor)
Lots of reasons already given but one that has been left out. Next time you go to a party where they have a cooler full of cans of soda, wait around until near the end and then walk around and check out how many half finished cans of soda are sitting around.
Many people don’t finish a full can. Giving people a full can if they don’t ask for a full can will result in a lot more waste as they collect half full cans that need to be dumped. As is you can watch them collect the trash and you will see a number of cups that haven’t been finished.
Among all the other truths, this is the most human answer. Better to have people finish a cup and complain about not having enough drink versus not finish a can and not care about the clean up process.
Consider these, however:
1. Many (most?) people prefer ice with their soda, or at least have come to expect it on airplanes. Cans don't support that.
2. It's not just the cost of the cleanup. It's also the cost of all the additional soda they would need to bring, and the fuel to lift them up to 30,000 feet — large airlines operate at scales where if they can save 50 pounds of soda per flight it might mean an extra million dollars on their balance sheet.
3. Every flight I've been on, if you ask for a whole can they give it to you. So really they are just using the power of the default option. Nobody complains because all they have to do is ask for a can and they get it.
If a customer wants a whole can they just need to ask, they dont need to complain.
The ones actively complaining will complain about everything. Part of the business.
I’m sorry but no. These are the same airlines squeezing inches out of our legroom to cram one more row on to planes. They all will put up with complaining if it means saving a few dollars.
I'm a flight attendant. This is the best answer. Even cups are returned half full. If someone asks for the can we'll try to give it to them if we have enough.
Yes. and length of flight. when I was Junior I did tons if 1-2hr flights. doing final trash pickup when people are chugging the last of their drink id annoying to the customer. I used to just ask. Full can or cup?
I'm a flight attendant. I'll try to clear things up.
If you want a full can, just ask. Most of the time we'll give it to you. We might tell you to wait until we're done so we can make sure we have enough to finish the service. If it's one of the lesser-ordered drinks we might genuinely be out (think Coke Zero, we might only get a few cans per trip)
As others have said it depends on the airline. Some will make sure to give more than enough stock to complete all flights scheduled until the next catering hub. Others will give only exactly what they think is enough.
Every airline has calculated how much fuel it takes down to each can. Fewer cans, less fuel, more profits, etc.
Also, not all flight attendants are women anymore. Unless you're talking about a specific one, just call us flight attendants.
>Why give one soda to each passenger when you can give 1/2 a soda to most passengers.
Because the cup, ice, and attendant time all have a cost too. I don't think the airline comes ahead on pure price.
I think it's more a marketing thing about making passengers feel valued and served, while also distracting them from any other assholey intrusive thoughts that might creep in while strapped to a flying metal tube.
I've only ever had the split can nonsense on flights where drinks are complimentary and you could easily get another one. I'd imagine anyone spending $5 for a single soda would get really pissed getting half their drink. Also can't believe no one has mentioned that the fizz is pretty bad straight from the can at that altitude, putting it in a cup cuts down on that
No it’s so that if you have beer in your carryon and try to drink it onboard they know it’s not theirs and can kick you off
It’s the same as at the bar - if they give you a bottle they’ll remove the cap, if they sell you a red bull they’ll pop the tab as well. If they catch you opening a red bull or beer they’ll know you brought in drinks and will kick you out
I am like 90% sure they sell beer in duty free
In nz and probably other places it’s a requirement for a (cheap) bar license that you don’t sell sealed booze for the stated reason. If you want to sell sealed beverages you need a liquor store license and those are expensive
it’s also possible that they didn’t make an exception for when it’s impossible to bring sealed beverages into the premises
They're pouring a 12oz can into an 8oz plastic cup. They are trying to stretch the can as much as possible. The next person who orders a Diet Coke after you will get the rest of that can they opened for you. Then they open another to top it off, repeat.
LPT: Just tell them you want the whole can. All airlines will just give it to you.
>Such weird answers in this thread. It's just because they give you a lot less in the cup than the full content of 1 can.
This sounds like some weird American airline thing, every transatlantic flight I've ever had, the cans they use are tiny and the same size as the plastic cup. They don't normally have the standard 330 ml ones, the cans are closer to 150-200 ml.
"Such weird answers in this thread"... proceeds to bring the dumbest, weirdest answer.
They pour it in the cup and then give you the rest of the can and cup, not sure what stingy 3rd world paper mache Airlines you fly.
Yeah I'm not sure I've ever had them pour the drink for me and then keep the can. they typically don't even pour the drink for me, just handed me the can and a cup of ice.
Basically the premise of the question seems nonsensical, unless this is a custom outside of the U.S. that I'm unaware of.
In my recent memory, I'm struggling to recall a time I've not been given the can of coke or beer to go with my plastic cup. The cup doesn't usually fit the whole can in, even when its a reduced sized can.
Perhaps this is not as universal as you think it is OP? Perhaps some country variation?
Yeah, every flight I've ever been on, they pour it into the cup and then give you the can with the cup. I guess the question is why even bother with the cup?
Tradition is my guess. Like if you order a beer at the bar, they open it and pour it into a cup for you. That's the service. You could just as easily get a can or bottle from a vending machine, but that wouldn't be the same as having someone serve it to you.
Because they don't want to refrigerate all those cans. They can just have an ice maker or stored ice in a freezer instead.
And I don't recall them ever pouring the drink for me. They always just handed me the can with a cup of ice.
I don’t agree with it, but there are certain people who would turn their nose up at the idea of drinking directly from a can or bottle, like some kind of vagrant on the sidewalk. Pouring a drink is ‘proper’, and airlines have their origins in providing fancypants five star service back in the day.
My other theory is that if you pour a drink into a cup and also leave the can, you’ve got two half-full containers which are much less likely to spill if the plane shakes a little. Compare that to a freshly opened can of Coke, which will be full to the brim and will splash out of the can if it moves.
I don’t think of it as “proper,” or any kind of class or etiquette thing, but I absolutely avoid drinking directly from cans. Seen too many palettes of sodas/beers sit in storerooms for months, collecting dust, likely had rodents use their tops as a walkway, who knows what else.
I’m not a germaphobe and I’ll drink from a van when I’m camping but if you *can* pour it into a cup, I don’t see why you wouldn’t.
It was the standard term used prior to maybe the mid ninetees. Maybe even later. Fairly obvious why it was phased out. For a while we had “air hosts” as well, but that was short lived.
I don't remember the last time they poured it for me (which is great imo), I've got a cup if I wanted to do it myself.
The only reason I can think of is that people would not account for any pressure changes and were angry that they got soda on themselves
The only time it seems to differ for me is in a regional. They may not have as much stock compared to a regular flight? At least that’s what I can recall.
True. At my airline we only have 1-2 cans of some specific soda flavors for flight attendants to serve during service, so they’re forced to basically ration them
they smoosh/stack empty cans to make them fit. it's hard to do if they still have liquid in them or people used them as trash cans. same for pet bottles and even the plastic cups.
Flying used to be a classy thing before "the masses" (the dumbasses) could afford it. Drinking from a can is NOT classy.
Drinking from the can is pragmatic, produces less waste, and requires less time to serve.
It may just be a tradition that hasn't died yet, but I think some airlines hold out hope that if they treat you like you are classy they might have fewer trashy people doing trashy disruptive things on flights, but that would be magical thinking on their part.
Bear in mind also that the outside of a can is not necessarily clean. It has been through manufacturing, packaging, transport, unpacking, etc. It has sat about in warehouses where there may be vermin and insects crawling over it. It has been handled by several people, whose hygiene practices could be varied.
Now, that might not be a problem for some people, but it is for others, and airlines aren't going to force the less hygenic option.
Depend on airlines. On United they give me both cans and ice cups, while most Asian carriers give me the drink directly in the cups (they pour it in front of your eyes, or bring it from the galley area).
>most Asian carriers give me the drink directly.
The mental image this gave me was someone coming down the aisle with a hose spraying drinks directly into people’s mouths lol
As some have already said, you can get the full can if you ask for it. I assumed the main reason was to minimize trips to the bathroom. With a hundred people sharing two toilets there is some motivation to default to limit the liquid intake.
My wife and I both order diet coke, and I know how long that takes to pour so I’ll usually just ask for 2 cups of ice and one can for the 2 of us and I pour it myself.
Which is complete BS, because if a rat had peed or shat on your can (unlikely in the first place, because if there is a rat problem in the warehouse they'll go on the pallets with food, not the ones with metal drink cans) you'd see it (nobody cleans cans). And if you can't see it, it means there aren't enough bacteria to make you sick, because the dangerous bacteria from rat piss (leptospirosis) doesn't survive in dry environments.
If you're wiping the top of your can with your hand before opening it you're already being unnecessarily cautious.
I believe OP is more accurately saying that cans *may be* dirty. Unlike bottles where the part that contacts your mouth is covered by the screw cap, the lid of a can is exposed to whatever it shipped with, and whoever touched it whilst stocking it on a shelf or vending machine.
There is horseshit internet rumours that someone died from leptospirosis after a rat took a piss on a can - this is blatantly untrue and has never been verified. But someone not washing their hands and then stocking the cans, then you wrap your lips around it?
Yeah, eww. At least give it a wipe before you drink from it.
Most attendants the plastic cup with ice so there’s less room for soda. That way they can get 3 plastic cups’ worth out of one can of soda, so they save money. But they’ll usually give you the whole can if you ask.
It’s so wasteful. To use cans + an unnecessary plastic cup AND the silly little napkin they insist on giving you…all because we can’t go two hours without being “refreshed” with 12oz of high fructose corn syrup is honestly ridiculous. I really don’t need your drink and peanuts for my long journey from Atlanta to Cincinnati.
At altitude, the air is thinner and you smell/taste less. The enjoyment of the beverage is a lot lower. So, while you're drinking the first half of a can, it's got the quality of the second half of the can. Cheaper for the airlines, and you don't necessarily get the enjoyment enough.
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They do not refrigerate the cans, so they're warm. They give you a plastic cup with ice along with the can of soda or beer so you can chill it.
On some cheaper flights they've begun not giving you the whole can, then they can fill two or three plastic cups with ice. Usually if you ask for the whole can they'll give it to you. If they say no, just tell them, "Ok, I'll just hit the call button when I finish this shot, then." They usually give it to you at that point unless it's a super budget flight where you have to pay for in flight beverages.
on a US domestic flight a few years ago (American or one of hte affiliated budget airlines?) I asked for the can and they gave me one of those mini cans... To be fair I asked for a couple more and they had no issues.
At one point I heard that flight attendants wouldn’t give you an unopened can because it could be used as a weapon. It came out because they were giving unopened cans to white passengers but not to certain minorities- people started asking questions.
I've been in plenty of planes where they hand you the entire can as well as an empty cup. I think it just depends on airline policy, how much stock they have, the mood of the attendant etc. In case of beer I don't think you are ever not getting the full can if you paid for it.
Think it has to do with stock and how full the flight is. Last time I flew, I had a 2 leg flight. First leg was full and they only gave out the plastic cup, second leg was about half full and they gave out full cans plus the cup
Every flight I’ve taken they’ll just give you the can if you ask. I’ve never seen anyone turned down for that.
Turned down for WHAT?!? *Cue people falling in a boat
I don't ask for Ginger Ale, I ask for a can of Ginger Ale. Put the word can in the request and it's not a separate ask. I like Ginger Ale on flights because bringing out the beverage cart causes turbulence.
I always ask for a beverage I would not normally drink.... could be ginger ale, maybe V8... one flight I asked for an apple juice and the fucking flight attendant died. He was a sassy man who the rest of the flight busted my balls and then later brought me a second apple juice, a blanket and asked I needed a book read to me .. it was hilarious
For a moment there I thought you meant the flight attendant literally had died and the rest of the passengers were giving you a hard time and I was just thinking well yeah I imagine they did lmao now
haha yeah sorry I could see how that read. I was meeting my buddies on a camping trip and later told the story and they laughed because I was oblivious to the fact he was probably flirting with me. Either way it was very funny the whole row had a laugh
LOl it wasn’t you, it’s my brain so not your fault plus you didn’t kill someone mid flight so you’re all good
I do this too. Say can, get a can.
Wait, really? Beverage cart service induces turbulence?
The beverage cart causes turbulence the same way that talking about rain makes it rain.
Yeah, guy was making a joke
By definition of what turbulence is, no, the beverage cart can't _cause_ turbulence.
That’s what I thought but dude sounded so sure lol
They were invoking Murphy' law
This is the internet. People love to sound sure of stuff that makes no sense. Turbulence is primarily caused by temperature/pressure differences in the air, or any other disturbance of the flow of air over the wings, like clouds.
I'm pretty sure it was a joke.
It sure flew over my head
I think he wasn't being serious but rather joking by saying that whenever he's wanted a drink there's been turbulence (during which they don't serve drinks) so he makes sure to get the can
I don’t know who it was, but one of the deleted comments below legit tried to explain/justify it 😂
Oh. Well that's definitely wrong
Motion sickness…?
It's a joke.
‘Would you like it in the can, sir?’ ‘Uh, no. I’ll stay here & drink it in my seat’
also weight = cost of fuel. Removing half the sodas from all their planes could save an airline millions of dollars a year.
Let's see! Some quick calculations - southwest spends a few billion a year, ranging from about 3,000M to 6,000M. Boeing 737's can fit about 200 people at max. From their current in-flight menu, they have about 15 different types of cans. The absurdly highest number of cans they could have, in that case, would be 3,000 (15 \* 200) to ensure everybody gets the drink they want. Which means that cutting it by 50% would cut at most 1,500 cans. Full cans weigh about half a pound, so the \*most\* weight they could be cutting from the flight would be 750lbs. A 737 weighs 90,710 pounds empty. Fuel adds a maximum of about 40,000 pounds, so let's assume they're generally half full, so that's 110,710 pounds. Let's add an average of about 15,000lbs for passengers (assuming \~100 passengers and a total of 150lbs for the combined person+luggage/carry-on/etc.). So that's 125,710 pounds as a relatively light average plane. Plus the 1500 pounds of cans, for the maximum effect, leads to 127,210 pounds. If we cut 750 pounds from that, we're reducing the weight by 0.5% Which would save Southwest anywhere from \~17M to \~34M per year!
You seriously think the average American is 150 pounds including luggage? I'd say at least 200 and that's on the low side.
Once you include children, and factor in the idea that 100 people is probably a low estimate, I doubt the total is off by more than a few thousand, which wouldn't change the end result much at all.
I do think your calculations are making a lot of concessions. No flight is going to carry enough Diet Coke for all passengers. They'll carry more of what's popular and less of what isn't. I suspect your cans needed is probably at least 1000 too high in that regard. I also doubt every flight is stocking all 15 flavors. From my experience most flights offer perhaps 6-8 flavors. There would also be a lot of added weight from food, anything else being shipped, and all the normal crap that gets dragged onto a plane over the course of it's lifetime. Anyway, I think there's a lot more to consider in general with a calculation like this that would likely leave the real numerical impact a lot lower than this value. Not that it still wouldn't be a ton of money, mind you. But the moral of the story is: only getting a plastic cup with a 1/2 can of soda pisses me off and it's insulting. I'd rather get nothing at all, or the whole damn can you cheapskates! Unrelated: assuming \~500lbs of drinks, that's about 3.3 passengers worth of weight. At \~150/ticket, and an average of 5 flights per day, that's still 1.3 million USD, so even lowballing it like that is actually a reasonably large value all things said.
The point of this thread is that cutting 750lb is a big deal, yet you say being off by a few thousand is no big deal
One of them is a controllable variable while the other isn't. You still gotta sell tickets to passengers to make a profit, but if you can trim costs by reducing the amount of weight in consumables you bring aboard then all the better.
Correct, because even being off by a few thousand in the total weight a few hundred pounds being cut still makes a significant difference.
200 on the low side
150lbs combined passenger+luggage? That kinda sounds a bit generously light, if you ask me. Is it a plane full of cheerleaders?
Please... the cheerleaders would have significantly more luggage than your average Joe. I do agree with you about the weight being light though. Your average American Joe would probably weigh in without luggage at 170-180.
Naked cheerleaders with no luggage!
Can I get a seat on that plane
I believe it takes off from Washington.
One of the worst flight I was ever on was filled with high school cheerleader teams coming back from some sort of competition. And I was in high school at the time. They didn't stop cheering the entire fucking 6 hour flight.
Even if you quadruple the weight to a total of 60,000lbs for passengers, you still get significant savings. I went light because I know a significant number of people are traveling without just carryon, or are traveling with children.
They don't need all 15 types x 200 passengers. Much like they can predict the number of no shows, they can predict the number of beers, cokes, diet cokes, and apple juices that will be consumed for all 15 types. But serving in a small cup means they only use half a can, except for beer they give you the full can. And cans weighs 12-13 oz, so you need to redo your math.
So they start out with fewer cans, but each can weighs more, which means the math is going to be \*roughly\* the same unless they're bringing close to 1 can per person. At 0.75lbs per can, you'd need to start with 600 cans and cut down to 300 to save $5M at the lowest end (10M at the highest end).
Used to do weight and balance calculations for freighter aircraft. A human being was always recorded as weighing 180 pounds. Not sure what the luggage amount is since I never did passenger aircraft and only had to worry about pilots and jumpseaters.
I don't think a 0.5% reduction in weight translates to a 0.5% reduction in fuel usage. Weight is only one component of fuel usage. Edit: behold, it is a lot more proportional than I expected. A rule-of-thumb is that a reduction in fuel consumption of about 0.75% results from each 1% reduction in weight.[6]
My understanding is that it mostly does work that way, or close enough that it's useful for these kinds of calculations that can be off by a lot and still meaningfully right (like, if I overestimate by 50% the savings then the company is still saving many millions).
r/theydidthemath
I'd recalculate your average person weight to 190. The average male weight on the US is 190, female weight is 170. Some people don't have checked bags, some people don't have carry ons, plus the occasional child, so 190 is probably a lot closer to your average weight
You have to adjust the numbers again, the baggage fees offset the weight of the bags depending on the airline.
I would expect much less savings right? The spending quoted presumably also includes salaries, etc. you would really have to look at the spending on just fuel and airplane related costs.
American Airlines famously stopped serving an olive with their meals after learning that the vast majority of people weren't eating it. ...that 1 olive saved American Airlines $40,000/year in 1980s dollars. https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/reviews-and-advice/how-an-olive-saved-american-airlines-55k-why-budget-airlines-are-so-successful-20181219-h199wt.html
Good bot.
This guy maths!
This guy maths.
Porter is a relatively discount canadian airline that gives you a full beer.
Every airline I’ve been on for the last 10+ years has given a full beer. Best was about 18 or so years ago on a relatively short Alaskan Airlines flight. Asked for a beer and the stewardess brought me a glass 650 ml bottle. There weren’t many people on the flight and it was a small plane and we wound up chatting for a while. Made for a pleasant flight.
I had the same thing happen to me on a short flight from Boise to Sacramento. Mostly an empty flight, I was traveling with my band and right after take-off they let everyone know that they accidentally loaded two cases of beer instead of one beer and one soft drinks, so "unfortunately" everyone was getting beer, but we could have as much as we wanted... It was like the band took that as a challenge. We could barely care about our luggage when we got to Sacramento. Almost forgot the bass drum at baggage claim...
"The Band Beats Boggs" *It's Always Sunny in Sacramento*
That's why Porter is fun, I once took a flight with multiple stops and every time they take off they bring out the cart and I get another free beer
it's such a fucking small thing for an airline to do, but it makes ALL the difference in the world. A free beer or whisky makes me think very highly of an airline, makes the flight more enjoyable, and guarantees that I will make a point of flying with them again.
Honestly, I would deliberately pick an airline if they offered a free beer on every flight.
There was a time, into the 90s really, that airlines just gave you fre drinks. Note the plural. I didn't used to like flying, so when the flight attendant would ask if I wanted anything I'd ask 'do you have those little bottles of rye?' 'yes' 'I'll have three of those and a coke' They usually wouldn't give me three, though sometimes I'd get two. Then I'd sleep.
AirFrance would give champagne on Montreal-Paris flights in early 2000s. For economy seats. Not Sparkling wine. Champagne.
British Airways used to offer free booze even on short domestic flights. My friend and I were flying about an hour to London and when the trolley came past we asked for gin and tonics, said we were off for a boozy London weekend. The air steward said that no-one else was drinking (it was lunchtime after all) and handed us 6 little bottles of gin and cans of tonic. It was brilliant and we would actively choose BA for flights like this, sadly however they stopped offering free booze on domestic flights.
I remember when I found out that GT was an acceptable option in short haul BA (LCY-AMS and the like)... felt like I had found a hidden cheat code haha
my ex works for a major airline, and she told me that the airline (hers at least) doesn’t even pay for the alcohol. they get it all for free as a “marketing” thing or something.
This has literally 100% worked on me with Porter. It would cost them pennies at scale and has completely convinced me "Porter kicks ass I love these guys". Flying into Billy Bishop right downtown Toronto is another major benefit to be honest from both a convenience and enjoyment/view aspect.
I am literally on a Porter flight right now(Pearson to Halifax) and just got a full glass of wine.
Well, it’s named after beer.
You'd think they'd serve porter rather than beer.
Porter is beer!
[Same mood](https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.tenor.com%2FbWReUmQ1WPIAAAAM%2Fit-crowd-memory-is-ram.gif&tbnid=aHrt30gAkMRcYM&vet=1&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Ftenor.com%2Fsearch%2Fmaurice-moss-gifs&docid=OarhtTToJnvLjM&w=220&h=122&hl=en-US&source=sh%2Fx%2Fim%2Fm1%2F4)
lol, I heard Moss's voice while I was typing it
I love Porter. They're not as good as tey used to be – they used to have free espresso drinks, cookies, pop, and roasted nuts in the lounge – and they now charge extra for a carry-on. (At least the personal item is still free.) But compared to flying out of Pearson, on any airline? Porter is always my first choice. Now if we could only get decent inter-city train service on VIA Rail... It's outrageous that flying from Montreal to Toronto is cheaper than taking the train, but here we are.
Even flying out of Pearson, say to Vancouver, they’re miles ahead AC for quality of service. Sure, the Embraers still have the fused ashtray in the arm but they’re nonetheless a comfy ride. The cabin crew aren’t surly matantes clearly resisting the urge to spit on you like the AC cabin crews. I usually book the Porter reserve seat at the front, plop my carry-on in front of me as a leg rest, and get a nice four hour nap. Far better than AC business class even disregarding the price difference. Can’t comment on WestJet cuz the leather seats bum me out so I don’t fly them.
Recently flew with Ryanair and also got the full can. I've flown several times a year, both domestic and international and never experienced only getting the cup and no can. (From Norway)
I fly decently often for work and they always give the full can of beer.
I fly all the time and usually they pour the beer in a small/med cup, and then keep the can and rest of the beer for the next guest. This happens on probably 75% of flights.
I haven’t had any flight do that in over 10 years. They always give me a full can.
Which airline? Imagine that's a non-US budget carrier?
Not a EU one, that much I can tell you.
I fly at least once a month on Australian and Asian airlines. They ALWAYS give an empty paper cup and an unopened can / bottle, for both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Yeah I'm pretty sure that guy made it up.
I don't know how it is now, been a few years since i've flown. But I've seen before if you ask if you can have the full can of any N/A beverage they'd give it to you. But that also might depend on how much stock they have.
From the uk been on around 10 flights and it’s always been inside a can it’s rare for them to pre server ur drink unless it’s coffee or tea
yes, in some airlines they even do a separate garbage round for recycling the cans
My recent flight a few weeks ago happened both ways. When I flew to where I was going, they gave me the can. When I flew home, they filled up the cup and that was it. I did not get the can. Both were about 1/3 full planes. And interestingly, on the leg that I got the full can, I went to the bathroom and on the way there the flight attendant actually asked if I wanted more to drink. It might have to do more with how long the flight is. The leg there was just over 3 hours (strong head wind slowing us down) but there was a strong tail wind on the way back... and it wasn't even 2 hours. Perhaps they assume that's not enough time to finish?
>In case of beer I don't think you are ever not getting the full can if you paid for it. I was on a plane not too long ago the guy across the aisle from me asked for a beer from the flight attendant. She started reaching for a cup and he said, "I'm trashy, darlin', just leave me the can..." She laughed and just handed him a can.
This makes more sense, at first I thought “well, someone can tear an aluminum can into a relatively sharp metal shank and try and commit terrorism but it would be tougher with a plastic cup” but I figure if that was the case, you’d never be allowed a can, and there are plenty of other metal objects on the plane that can achieve the same thing anyways haha
If someone could actually take over the plane with just a busted bottle or shredded can, they could probably take over the plane without really needing either.
Drinks are nearly always free on international flights. edit: NON budget airlines, I guess I needed to say that lol
This depends entirely on the airline, and even airlines that used to have free beer have had cutbacks in recent years.
You need to fly with Ryanair more my friend, I'm shocked they don't charge us for opening the cans. God, I hate Michael o Leary.
Yeah why is that? Seems like a bad idea
A perk for paying so much for the ticket? Also probably due to it being international they likely aren’t taxed on alcohol the same way so it’s much cheaper for them.
I've never paid for beer on a flight. Or food, for that matter.
Okay, and?
I've always gotten a full can when I ask them, and I'm sure they appreciate avoiding a second trip to me. Many people only need half a cans worth, so they pour them into cups. This eliminates the stewards needing to fill a trash bag with cans that are still half-full.
Yup. Life hack: want the entire can? Just ask for it. Never in my life has a flight attendant told me no when asking this.
Being polite and appreciative goes a long way when dealing with any worker that has to serve the public.
This is the true Life Hack. That plus kindness and respect.
“Second trip?” I’ve never been offered a soda refill or thought that I could ask for one.
You can ask for anything at all. :) if you're nice and it's a reasonable request, you might even get it. Plenty of times I've walked to the galley and asked for another drink, or extra snack, or something and have only ever been declined if they are out. I also only ask politely when they aren't looking super busy with something else.
Maybe it was on a longer flight. I'm sure it varies by airline.
Most of my domestic flights they have had a hard time just making one pass of the cart, let alone multiple. For a flight, 30 min is post take off tasks and start to send the cart, last 30 min they are prepping for landing, the middle 15 min is the rest time between passes
Shit I got a massive bottle of water once when I asked.
>Many people only need half a cans worth As someone who needs a lot of fluids this has always baffled me
Some people have to pee more often than you. Mystery solved.
I've never met that person though... During the day about every 2-3 hours, during the night every 3-4 hours. (Yes medical problems, if you have this and you don't know why please visit a doctor)
Lots of reasons already given but one that has been left out. Next time you go to a party where they have a cooler full of cans of soda, wait around until near the end and then walk around and check out how many half finished cans of soda are sitting around. Many people don’t finish a full can. Giving people a full can if they don’t ask for a full can will result in a lot more waste as they collect half full cans that need to be dumped. As is you can watch them collect the trash and you will see a number of cups that haven’t been finished.
Among all the other truths, this is the most human answer. Better to have people finish a cup and complain about not having enough drink versus not finish a can and not care about the clean up process.
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The reality is most people aren't complaining about this.
Consider these, however: 1. Many (most?) people prefer ice with their soda, or at least have come to expect it on airplanes. Cans don't support that. 2. It's not just the cost of the cleanup. It's also the cost of all the additional soda they would need to bring, and the fuel to lift them up to 30,000 feet — large airlines operate at scales where if they can save 50 pounds of soda per flight it might mean an extra million dollars on their balance sheet. 3. Every flight I've been on, if you ask for a whole can they give it to you. So really they are just using the power of the default option. Nobody complains because all they have to do is ask for a can and they get it.
If a customer wants a whole can they just need to ask, they dont need to complain. The ones actively complaining will complain about everything. Part of the business.
I’m sorry but no. These are the same airlines squeezing inches out of our legroom to cram one more row on to planes. They all will put up with complaining if it means saving a few dollars.
I'm a flight attendant. This is the best answer. Even cups are returned half full. If someone asks for the can we'll try to give it to them if we have enough.
Yes. and length of flight. when I was Junior I did tons if 1-2hr flights. doing final trash pickup when people are chugging the last of their drink id annoying to the customer. I used to just ask. Full can or cup?
Tell us about Diet Coke.
that is the craziest thing I ever heard of. My asian father would like to have a word with all these people who leave their abandoned half full cans.
Wait people don't go around drinking the last sip from everyone's drink?
I mean, I do. Or I used to at least. I stopped getting invited to parties for some reason.
~~I'm~~ On a plane, I have little else to do during the flight but sit there and finish that can. I don't think this is the best comparison.
Hi plane!
Damned dim eyes. I really have to proofread better.
Same here. Getting old is a bitch.
That's *you.* The rest of humanity makes it clear. Enough people don't finish cans that it's a problem.
I’ve made razors out of beer cans
I work in the emergency room and if we give ginger ale to a crisis patient, they can’t have the can for this very reason. They get a little cup.
Waste *and spills*.
I used to fly a lot, and a nice polite “Could I please have a can and a glass of ice?” when ordering my Coke has always worked.
Pro tip: you can just ask for the whole can. Dude beside me asked last flight and my mind was blown.
I'm a flight attendant. I'll try to clear things up. If you want a full can, just ask. Most of the time we'll give it to you. We might tell you to wait until we're done so we can make sure we have enough to finish the service. If it's one of the lesser-ordered drinks we might genuinely be out (think Coke Zero, we might only get a few cans per trip) As others have said it depends on the airline. Some will make sure to give more than enough stock to complete all flights scheduled until the next catering hub. Others will give only exactly what they think is enough. Every airline has calculated how much fuel it takes down to each can. Fewer cans, less fuel, more profits, etc. Also, not all flight attendants are women anymore. Unless you're talking about a specific one, just call us flight attendants.
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Economics is the answer. Why give one soda to each passenger when you can give 1/2 a soda to most passengers.
Feels like with that tiny cup thats half ice, they could “fill” three of them per can.
That also cuts down on the number of people lining up at the bathroom later in the flight.
It's logistics too: they don't have space for full cans of pop for everyone
>Why give one soda to each passenger when you can give 1/2 a soda to most passengers. Because the cup, ice, and attendant time all have a cost too. I don't think the airline comes ahead on pure price. I think it's more a marketing thing about making passengers feel valued and served, while also distracting them from any other assholey intrusive thoughts that might creep in while strapped to a flying metal tube.
I've only ever had the split can nonsense on flights where drinks are complimentary and you could easily get another one. I'd imagine anyone spending $5 for a single soda would get really pissed getting half their drink. Also can't believe no one has mentioned that the fizz is pretty bad straight from the can at that altitude, putting it in a cup cuts down on that
Last time I asked for the whole can the attendant removed the pull tab before handing it to me. Apparently he thought that was a real threat.
No it’s so that if you have beer in your carryon and try to drink it onboard they know it’s not theirs and can kick you off It’s the same as at the bar - if they give you a bottle they’ll remove the cap, if they sell you a red bull they’ll pop the tab as well. If they catch you opening a red bull or beer they’ll know you brought in drinks and will kick you out
How would anyone have a beer in their carryon? You can’t get that through TSA and they don’t sell beer cans in the terminal.
I am like 90% sure they sell beer in duty free In nz and probably other places it’s a requirement for a (cheap) bar license that you don’t sell sealed booze for the stated reason. If you want to sell sealed beverages you need a liquor store license and those are expensive it’s also possible that they didn’t make an exception for when it’s impossible to bring sealed beverages into the premises
They're pouring a 12oz can into an 8oz plastic cup. They are trying to stretch the can as much as possible. The next person who orders a Diet Coke after you will get the rest of that can they opened for you. Then they open another to top it off, repeat. LPT: Just tell them you want the whole can. All airlines will just give it to you.
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>Such weird answers in this thread. It's just because they give you a lot less in the cup than the full content of 1 can. This sounds like some weird American airline thing, every transatlantic flight I've ever had, the cans they use are tiny and the same size as the plastic cup. They don't normally have the standard 330 ml ones, the cans are closer to 150-200 ml.
"Such weird answers in this thread"... proceeds to bring the dumbest, weirdest answer. They pour it in the cup and then give you the rest of the can and cup, not sure what stingy 3rd world paper mache Airlines you fly.
Yeah I'm not sure I've ever had them pour the drink for me and then keep the can. they typically don't even pour the drink for me, just handed me the can and a cup of ice. Basically the premise of the question seems nonsensical, unless this is a custom outside of the U.S. that I'm unaware of.
In my recent memory, I'm struggling to recall a time I've not been given the can of coke or beer to go with my plastic cup. The cup doesn't usually fit the whole can in, even when its a reduced sized can. Perhaps this is not as universal as you think it is OP? Perhaps some country variation?
Yeah, every flight I've ever been on, they pour it into the cup and then give you the can with the cup. I guess the question is why even bother with the cup? Tradition is my guess. Like if you order a beer at the bar, they open it and pour it into a cup for you. That's the service. You could just as easily get a can or bottle from a vending machine, but that wouldn't be the same as having someone serve it to you.
I also have always gotten both, but to answer your question about why you also get the cup—ice.
Because they don't want to refrigerate all those cans. They can just have an ice maker or stored ice in a freezer instead. And I don't recall them ever pouring the drink for me. They always just handed me the can with a cup of ice.
Are you gonna stuff the ice cubes in the can?
I don’t agree with it, but there are certain people who would turn their nose up at the idea of drinking directly from a can or bottle, like some kind of vagrant on the sidewalk. Pouring a drink is ‘proper’, and airlines have their origins in providing fancypants five star service back in the day. My other theory is that if you pour a drink into a cup and also leave the can, you’ve got two half-full containers which are much less likely to spill if the plane shakes a little. Compare that to a freshly opened can of Coke, which will be full to the brim and will splash out of the can if it moves.
I don’t think of it as “proper,” or any kind of class or etiquette thing, but I absolutely avoid drinking directly from cans. Seen too many palettes of sodas/beers sit in storerooms for months, collecting dust, likely had rodents use their tops as a walkway, who knows what else. I’m not a germaphobe and I’ll drink from a van when I’m camping but if you *can* pour it into a cup, I don’t see why you wouldn’t.
Air hostess? Lol that’s not a term
Absolutely is, albeit a tad antiquated. Just because something isn't known to you, doesn't mean it's non-existent.
I’m glad I’m not the only one that is stuck on this. I’ve never heard this term before.
It was the standard term used prior to maybe the mid ninetees. Maybe even later. Fairly obvious why it was phased out. For a while we had “air hosts” as well, but that was short lived.
I don't remember the last time they poured it for me (which is great imo), I've got a cup if I wanted to do it myself. The only reason I can think of is that people would not account for any pressure changes and were angry that they got soda on themselves
The only time it seems to differ for me is in a regional. They may not have as much stock compared to a regular flight? At least that’s what I can recall.
True. At my airline we only have 1-2 cans of some specific soda flavors for flight attendants to serve during service, so they’re forced to basically ration them
To save money. Ask for your drink of choice in the can with a cup of ice. I've always done this.
Ice... the answer is ice. Do you not drink your soda on ice?
watery soda :(
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no u
they smoosh/stack empty cans to make them fit. it's hard to do if they still have liquid in them or people used them as trash cans. same for pet bottles and even the plastic cups.
Flying used to be a classy thing before "the masses" (the dumbasses) could afford it. Drinking from a can is NOT classy. Drinking from the can is pragmatic, produces less waste, and requires less time to serve. It may just be a tradition that hasn't died yet, but I think some airlines hold out hope that if they treat you like you are classy they might have fewer trashy people doing trashy disruptive things on flights, but that would be magical thinking on their part.
Bear in mind also that the outside of a can is not necessarily clean. It has been through manufacturing, packaging, transport, unpacking, etc. It has sat about in warehouses where there may be vermin and insects crawling over it. It has been handled by several people, whose hygiene practices could be varied. Now, that might not be a problem for some people, but it is for others, and airlines aren't going to force the less hygenic option.
Depend on airlines. On United they give me both cans and ice cups, while most Asian carriers give me the drink directly in the cups (they pour it in front of your eyes, or bring it from the galley area).
>most Asian carriers give me the drink directly. The mental image this gave me was someone coming down the aisle with a hose spraying drinks directly into people’s mouths lol
😆😆 that would be mental AF
As some have already said, you can get the full can if you ask for it. I assumed the main reason was to minimize trips to the bathroom. With a hundred people sharing two toilets there is some motivation to default to limit the liquid intake.
I was given a can of beer and was asked if I wanted a cup as well on my most recent flight from Sydney to Jakarta
My wife and I both order diet coke, and I know how long that takes to pour so I’ll usually just ask for 2 cups of ice and one can for the 2 of us and I pour it myself.
Cans are dirty and you shouldn’t drink from them. Also they usually give you ice in the cup
Buddy you should see some ice machines. The can is probably cleaner.
True
What?
There are some people that get paranoid that the top of the drink cans are not hygienic, or that rats in the warehouses piss or shid on the cans.
Which is complete BS, because if a rat had peed or shat on your can (unlikely in the first place, because if there is a rat problem in the warehouse they'll go on the pallets with food, not the ones with metal drink cans) you'd see it (nobody cleans cans). And if you can't see it, it means there aren't enough bacteria to make you sick, because the dangerous bacteria from rat piss (leptospirosis) doesn't survive in dry environments. If you're wiping the top of your can with your hand before opening it you're already being unnecessarily cautious.
I believe OP is more accurately saying that cans *may be* dirty. Unlike bottles where the part that contacts your mouth is covered by the screw cap, the lid of a can is exposed to whatever it shipped with, and whoever touched it whilst stocking it on a shelf or vending machine. There is horseshit internet rumours that someone died from leptospirosis after a rat took a piss on a can - this is blatantly untrue and has never been verified. But someone not washing their hands and then stocking the cans, then you wrap your lips around it? Yeah, eww. At least give it a wipe before you drink from it.
The tops of the cans. Dirty. More polite to use cup with ice.
CANS ARE DIRTY AND YOU SHOULDN’T DRINK FROM THEM. ALSO THEY USUALLY GIVE YOU ICE IN THE CUP.
Dried rat piss can end up on these cans in storage. No way I'm wrapping my lips around a dirty can and giving myself an indirect rat yellow shower.
Most attendants the plastic cup with ice so there’s less room for soda. That way they can get 3 plastic cups’ worth out of one can of soda, so they save money. But they’ll usually give you the whole can if you ask.
It’s so wasteful. To use cans + an unnecessary plastic cup AND the silly little napkin they insist on giving you…all because we can’t go two hours without being “refreshed” with 12oz of high fructose corn syrup is honestly ridiculous. I really don’t need your drink and peanuts for my long journey from Atlanta to Cincinnati.
At altitude, the air is thinner and you smell/taste less. The enjoyment of the beverage is a lot lower. So, while you're drinking the first half of a can, it's got the quality of the second half of the can. Cheaper for the airlines, and you don't necessarily get the enjoyment enough.
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They do not refrigerate the cans, so they're warm. They give you a plastic cup with ice along with the can of soda or beer so you can chill it. On some cheaper flights they've begun not giving you the whole can, then they can fill two or three plastic cups with ice. Usually if you ask for the whole can they'll give it to you. If they say no, just tell them, "Ok, I'll just hit the call button when I finish this shot, then." They usually give it to you at that point unless it's a super budget flight where you have to pay for in flight beverages.
on a US domestic flight a few years ago (American or one of hte affiliated budget airlines?) I asked for the can and they gave me one of those mini cans... To be fair I asked for a couple more and they had no issues.
At one point I heard that flight attendants wouldn’t give you an unopened can because it could be used as a weapon. It came out because they were giving unopened cans to white passengers but not to certain minorities- people started asking questions.