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US Airways Group has decided to stop charging for nonalcoholic drinks in its coach cabin.

Published: 26 Feb 2009

US Airways Group has decided to stop charging for nonalcoholic drinks in its coach cabin.

Charging for beverages began in August and lasted about six months.

Last year, the carrier adopted an a la carte model, charging customers for checked baggage, choice seats and pillows. That helped to raise cash for record fuel bills without jacking up airfares in an ultracompetitive business. But US Airways broke from the pack in deciding to also charge for water, sodas and tea, and that apparently went too far and passenger complaints became a distraction. The airline is dropping the policy.

“We know customers don’t buy an airline ticket based on whether or not they will get a free soda onboard, but with US Airways’ being the only large network carrier to charge for drinks, we are at a disadvantage,” Doug Parker, chief executive of the Arizona-based carrier, wrote in a note to employees. “More importantly, this difference in our service has become a focal point that detracts from all of the outstanding improvements in on-time performance and baggage handling.”

Parker said the airline remained "firmly committed" to the a la carte model, but he added it was a work in progress. Charging for beverages began in August and lasted about six months.

The company even said Monday that beverage sales were amounting to just a “small part” of a la carte revenue at US Airways, forecast to be $400 million to $500 million for the year.

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