Thanks to a partnership with Athletic Brewing Company, JetBlue will become the first major United States air carrier to serve a non-alcoholic beer on its domestic flights. As of summer 2023, the airline will now be serving Athletic Brewing Company’s non-alcoholic Upside Dawn Golden Ale.
"Previously most people had this vision of non-alcoholic beer which was for very specific customer cohorts and was very low-velocity, so in a plane setting where there's really limited space, they wouldn't stock it," Bill Shufelt, Athletic Brewing’s co-founder and CEO, told CT Insider, "Considering how Athletic is taking non-alcoholic beer to new occasions, new populations and everything, it really makes sense."
In addition to broadening the range of beverages offered to passengers during flights, this partnership has the potential to decrease incidents of intoxicated and disruptive behavior among travelers.
Inflight Non-Alcoholic Beers
Athletic Brewing Company & JetBlue are Serving Non-Alcoholic Beer
Trend Themes
1. Non-alcoholic Beer on Flights - The trend of offering non-alcoholic beer on flights is growing, providing opportunities for companies to create new partnerships and expand their customer base.
2. Expanding Occasions for Non-alcoholic Beer Consumption - The trend of expanding the occasions that non-alcoholic beer can be consumed presents an opportunity for companies to target new populations and increase sales.
3. Reducing Incidents of Disruptive Behavior - The trend of offering non-alcoholic beer to reduce incidents of disruptive behavior presents an opportunity for companies to differentiate themselves and provide a unique service to customers.
Industry Implications
1. Airlines - The airline industry has the opportunity to partner with non-alcoholic beer companies to offer a wider range of beverages and improve the flying experience for passengers.
2. Non-alcoholic Beverage Industry - The non-alcoholic beverage industry has the opportunity to expand into new occasions, such as air travel, and target new populations with their products.
3. Hospitality Industry - The hospitality industry can use the trend of non-alcoholic beer consumption to differentiate themselves and offer unique experiences to customers, such as non-alcoholic beer pairing menus.