Delta Says No to Cash, Yes to Credit Cards

(MoneyWatch)  Delta Air Lines announced today on its blog that it would no longer accept cash on Delta and Northwest flights in North America (that's including Central America and the Caribbean, its blog states, as if we didn't take sixth-grade social studies) starting Dec. 1 and instead will only take credit cards to purchase a film, drink or sandwich. The reason?

Accepting only credit cards will help expedite our onboard payment process and allow us to better serve you on other matters in-flight . . .

I'm not sure that's the real reason, since international flights will still continue to take cash or credit. (Perhaps flight attendants on the international routes are more adept at making change?) Many domestic airlines have chosen to go with only credit cards, seemingly to keep its flight attendants from carrying wads of cash.

I'm not sure I believe one news account that had one corporate representative stating, "We've had great reception from passengers," but I believe it's much easier for the airline. Easier bookkeeping, less cash shortages and an open credit card for goods and services (Midwest Airlines, out of Milwaukee, said sales actually rose when it shifted to credit cards only.) Carriers, like US Airways and Alaska Airlines, said they didn't worry that some passengers didn't have credit cards because they were clearly in the minority. Only Alaska mentioned that it sells vouchers to those without credit cards. Frontier Airlines said its solution for unaccompanied minors often traveling without a credit card was giving them free snacks.

While some airlines said they have policies in place to deal with unaccompanied (and often not credit-card carrying) minors and those without credit cards, there doesn't seem to be a very clear policy. Perhaps that's because there isn't one. An easy fix for airlines would be to let passengers know about alternatives to cashless flying -- so a parent can purchase a voucher for their child or a passenger can partake of the services onboard without a credit card.