United Airlines Passenger Denied Alcohol in Exit Row, Receives 5,000 MileagePlus Miles

It turned out to be a win situation for United Airlines passengers by receiving 5,000 MileagePlus miles after being denied an alcoholic drink while seated in an emergency exit. The passenger was travelling to Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport and ordered a drink to start ahead of the birthday celebrations. However, according to the reports, the flight attendant denied the request, saying that the alcoholic drinks were not served to the passengers sitting in exit rows.

The passenger believed the flight attendant, however, later on, they found out that there was no such rule from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stopping the passengers from drinking alcohol when sitting in the exit row. The situation changed, and it brought an advantage to the passenger in filing a complaint against the airline, and the passenger received an apology and 5,000 miles in their MileagePlus account. 

This incident was shared by the passenger on Reddit and received responses from other travelers. 

What Happened To The United Airlines Passenger?

The passenger shared the experience on the United Airlines Subreddit by posting under the title “No adult drinks in exit row." In the post, the passenger mentions that they were traveling to San Juan, Puerto Rico, for birthday celebrations. 

While flying, the passenger asked the flight attendant for an alcoholic drink and was shocked when the request was denied, saying that the passengers sitting in the exit row are not served alcoholic drinks. 

The passenger understood and accepted the explanation given by the flight attendant, however, the situation changed when the Reddit users started questioning the whole scenario and mentioned that there is no such rule by the FAA.

The passenger filed a complaint against the airline and also clarified that the intoxication was not a factor, as the requested drink would have been their first alcoholic drink of the day.

In return, United Airlines credited 5,000 MileagePlus miles to the passenger’s account and also apologized for the experience.

What Are The Actual Rules For Alcohol And Exit-Row Passengers?

There is no specific FAA regulation that prohibits airlines from serving alcoholic beverages to passengers seated in emergency exit rows. However, airlines can establish their own policies regarding alcohol service and passenger safety.

If the passenger is under the age of 21, they will be refused to be served an alcoholic beverage because it can create a bit of a situation. Hence, this is not a rule published by the FAA, it is simply a rule made by the airlines for the passengers' health and safety.  

This also means that the passengers sitting in the exit row have extra responsibilities in comparison to the people sitting in other seats. The passengers must be at least 15 years old, capable enough to perform emergency duties, and should be able to understand safety instructions given by the cabin crew.

This incident shows how a rule made by the airlines can have an impact on the passengers traveling with the airline. Although the passengers sitting on the exit row should be extra responsible, there is no such rule by the FAA that the exit-row passengers cannot have an alcoholic drink.

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