American Airlines axes most food and drink service as the coronavirus pandemic upends air travel as we know it

• American Airlines is stripping its in-flight service to bare bones as coronavirus wreaks havoc on its business.
• Like most airlines, the Dallas-based carrier parked a huge chunk of its fleet thanks to slashed schedules.
• Airlines are hoping for government aid to bounce back as the pandemic decimated their revenues.
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American Airlines is paring down in-flight food and drinks to the bare minimum and closing most airport lounges as the spreading coronavirus all but cripples aviation.

Here are the details of the reduced service for the few flights remaining on the airlines severely reduced schedule, as announced Tuesday night:

Short-haul flights less than four-and-a-half-hours:

• No alcohol will be served in the main cabin but is available upon request in first class.
• No snacks or meals will be served, whether complimentary or available for purchase.
• Beverages will only be available on request and limited to water, canned drinks, and juice.

Long-haul flights over four-and-a-half hours:

• Alcohol only available in first class.
• No food for purchase.
• First and business class meals served on one tray instead of in courses.
• No pre-departure beverages.

"Our flight attendants spend the most time with our customers and play a critical role in ensuring the safety and well-being of our customers," Jill Surdek, Senior Vice President of Flight Service, said in a press release. "As a result of working with our flight attendant team and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, we are taking these necessary steps today and will continue to update our policies in response to guidance from the CDC."

In addition to the changes in onboard service, American also said it would relax its seating policies to encourage social distancing. Once onboard, passengers will be allowed to sit in any available seat within their ticketed cabin. Most middle seats will be blocked as well, in a move that one Wall Street analyst had suggested could help with efforts to mitigate the virus' spread.

As of Wednesday morning, just hours after lawmakers had reached a deal with the White House on an aid package expected to include some form of financial relief for struggling airlines, the number of confirmed infections in the United States crossed 50,000 cases. There aren't yet details on the form or total money involved in the airline aid.

Across the board, airlines have dramatically reduced their number of scheduled flights by massive percentages. Parked planes are now sitting on runways and in desert fields across the country as airlines await a rebound from COVID-19 travel bans.

Shares of American Airlines are down by nearly 50% since the start of the year.

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