TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Southwest Airlines will increase the price of on-board alcohol offerings starting Wednesday, the airline confirmed to Nexstar’s WFLA.
The airline said it would implement a “modest change” to alcohol prices. Southwest didn’t disclose how much the prices would increase, but the Dallas Morning News reported the price of liquor will increase from $7 to $9, while the price of beer will increase from $6 to $7.
Wines will increase in price from $6 to $8, according to the outlet.
“Southwest last adjusted pricing for onboard beverages in 2018 and recently reviewed our position as we work to keep fares low while offering our customers unmatched flexibility,” the airline said in a statement.
Non-alcoholic drinks will still be offered for free on flights longer than 175 miles, according to the airline’s website. On shorter flights, passengers will be offered water.
The price increase comes just days before a busy holiday travel period is expected to begin.
During the pandemic, some airlines, including Southwest, stopped selling alcohol to passengers due to incidents of unruly passengers. One of the incidents in 2021 involved a Southwest passenger knocking out a flight attendant’s teeth.
Data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shows there were 2,455 unruly passenger reports in 2022, down significantly from the 5,973 reported in 2021. So far in 2023, there have been 1,820 unruly passenger reports.
In 2022, the FAA fined unruly passengers a total of $8.4 million.