On Southwest Airways, it now prices (even) extra to test a bag until you qualify for a fare, bank card or airline standing waiver.
Then again, beginning April 24, any Southwest Airways passenger flying between make a choice towns at the U.S. West Coast will be capable to take a look at as much as one case of wine without cost.
The service has now not but shared which towns shall be integrated in its new Sip and Send program. However for the reason that announcement used to be paired with a unlock celebrating new Southwest provider from Santa Rosa, California, to San Diego, Las Vegas and Burbank, California, it is a just right guess Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport (STS) close to Santa Rosa is at the checklist.
Southwest serves most of the towns in West Coast wine nation, which stretches from California to Oregon, Washington or even Idaho. So, it is most probably the Sip and Send program will end up to be a welcome amenity for Southwest Airways vacationers short of to convey house a bottle or a case of wine as a memento.
“By means of including provider to Sonoma County Airport and launching Sip and Send, we are providing our Shoppers much more comfort and a chance to proceeding sipping and savoring their time in wine nation,” Andrew Watterson, leader running officer at Southwest Airways, mentioned in a commentary.
Whilst we watch for the eligible towns to be introduced, listed here are one of the most airline’s regulations for delivery wine:
- Most effective passengers 21 years of age or older would possibly take a look at wine without cost.
- The wine should be securely packaged in a leak-proof bag or field with correct {and professional} packaging, and it should be checked in on the customer support counter.
- Southwest defines a “case” as a unmarried field or specialised wine suitcase containing as much as twelve bottles and weighing not more than 50 kilos.
- “The highest of the main delivery container should now not be sealed previous to Buyer Carrier Agent inspection on the airport,” in step with the service. So, you’ll’t fill a wine field along with your grimy garments in a sneaky try to evade checked bag charges.
Alaska Airways’ Wine Flies Loose program
Southwest isn’t the primary airline to send passengers’ wine without cost.
Again in 2007, Alaska Airways debuted its Wine Flies Loose program and coincidentally extensively utilized the STS airport because the kickoff spot.
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There at the moment are 32 West Coast towns integrated in its program, which is to be had to any Atmos Praise mileage program member.
You should be 21 or older to profit from this system; you additionally should be departing from and arriving at one of the vital 32 airports in Washington, Idaho or California that the airline serves.
Here’s the checklist:
- Washington: Bellingham World Airport (BLI), Paine Box (PAE), Tri-Towns Airport (PSC), Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport (PUW), Seattle-Tacoma World Airport (SEA), Spokane World Airport (GEG), Walla Walla Regional Airport (ALW), Pangborn Memorial Airport (EAT) and McAllister Box (YKM)
- Oregon: Eugene Airport (EUG), Rogue Valley World Medford Airport (MFR), Portland World Airport (PDX) and Redmond Municipal Airport (RDM)
- California: Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR), Fresno Yosemite World Airport (FAT), Los Angeles World Airport (LAX), Monterey Regional Airport (MRY), Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK), Ontario World Airport (ONT), John Wayne Airport (SNA), Palm Springs World Airport (PSP), Redding Regional Airport (RDD), Sacramento World Airport (SMF), San Diego World Airport (SAN), San Francisco World Airport (SFO), San Jose Mineta World Airport (SJC), SLO County Airport (SBP), Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) and STS
- Idaho: Boise Airport (BOI), Idaho Falls Regional Airport (IDA) and Friedman Memorial Airport (SUN)
The Wine Flies Loose program calls for wine to be checked in on the counter, correctly categorized and packed in a case or field with sufficient packing subject matter — Styrofoam, cardboard, bubble wrap, and many others. — to stay the bottle or bottles secure. (Alaska even has some cobranded authorized wine carriers on its website online.)
Bonus advantage of the Wine Flies Loose program
Alaska’s Wine Flies Loose program has a hidden receive advantages that may be simply as, if now not extra precious than, the waived luggage rate.
Wineries and tasting rooms in Oregon, Washington and Idaho in most cases fee a tasting rate, which is able to vary from $15 to $40 according to particular person. Then again, make a choice wineries would possibly waive the charges in case you display your inbound boarding cross and Atmos Rewards club. (Many wineries additionally waive tasting charges if you are going to buy a bottle.)
Regulations and rules would possibly range by way of state and vineyard. Make sure you take a look at the vineyard’s website online and obtain the apps for each and every state’s program. (Practice the hyperlinks at the Wine Flies Loose web page.)
In case you are plotting an afternoon of wine tasting in line with waived charges, remember to name forward to substantiate. Many wineries is not going to waive the associated fee on weekends, vacations or throughout particular occasions. And, in Idaho, taking part wineries would possibly ask for evidence that you’ve flown into an Idaho airport.
