Entitlement

Sitting here on a plane on the way to San Francisco, my thoughts turn to entitlement.

Specifically, entitlement as it relates to drinks on board commercial flights. Like most of us, I have become accustomed to being served a drink or two while flying. My beverage of choice is an ice cold virgin mary. The catch is, of course, that I have enjoyed all of this free of charge.

Until recently. Last month, US Airways changed their drink policy so that all drinks --even a meager cup of water-- cost $2. All drinks. That means my favored virgin mary.

Naturally, this new policy has caused me to reconsider my habit. I enjoyed virgin marys when they were free, but at $2 a pop, I decided I don't really need them anymore. Or, for that matter, want them. On long flights, I realized, all I really want is a glass of water. I had grown accustomed to my virgin marys. Entitled, even. I was in the air, therefore I would drink a virgin mary. But the new pricing scheme rolled helped me realize that my little mid air treat is really a wasteful and unnecessary indulgence. It is a drink I don't need, held in a plastic (eg, petroleum-based) cup I throw away, cooled by ice I don't enjoy crunching, poured from an aluminum container that surely isn't recycled.

So thanks, US Air, for charging me for a drink I was really only drinking because it was free in the first place. I will be more careful in the future. Just because its in front of me and free doesn't mean I'll take it.