Remember when cash was king? The only way to secure cheap fares or discount travel packages online these days is with credit cards. Now the dominance of plastic has moved onto flights.
Almost all US airlines are now requiring credit cards to make purchases during a flight. Just last week Continental, Delta, and Northwest, announced that cash was no longer being accepted onboard flights. Previously AirTran, Alaska, Frontier, United and Virgin America had made the same announcement. US airways reported that it plans to go cashless in their cabins in 2010.
The airlines claim that cashless cabins result in increased passenger convenience and speed of sales. Flight attendants like the new policy since they no longer have to deal with travelers asking them repeatedly if they have their change yet.
There still remains a segment of travelers who follow a cash only way of managing their money. Going forward they are going to have to make certain they bring whatever food they want onto planes.
Some parents of children who fly alone do not like the new policy. Many parents do not want to give children credit cards, whether it is a concern that the card may be lost or misused, or the fact that a credit card is only supposed to be used by the person named on the card.
Parents of children traveling alone on planes should either pack food or contact the airline in advance since some airlines allow travelers to purchase vouchers in advance of trips that can be used onboard to purchase meals.