American Airlines to go far cashless cabins on flights within US and to and from Canada

American Airlines, based in Fort Worth, Texas, the United States, has announced that it will begin, from the summer of 2009, transition to “cashless cabins” onboard flights within the United States and to and from Canada. Receipts will be given to passengers on request.

On flights within the United States and to and from Canada, American Airlines will only accept major credit cards or debit cards for onboard purchases like headsets, meals, snacks and alcoholic beverages, a statement from the airline said.

American Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of the AMR Corporation, said the proposed change would let it “streamline the in-flight sales process.”

One the cashless system is introduced, flight attendants on board American Airlines flights will use hand-held electronic devices which will scan credit cards. Only major credit cards or debit cards will be accepted. The airline has been using these electronic devices since May 2006.

In the statement, Lauri Curtis, American Airlines’ vice-president for onboard service, said that moving to a cashless cabin would allows the airline to streamline the in-flight sales process for both the customers and flight attendants.

The transition to cashless cabins on flights within the United States and to and from Canada, Curtis added, was a part of the company’s “overall move toward cashless flights.”

American Airlines operates scheduled flights throughout the United States as well as to Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Japan, China, and India. The carrier, with about 4,200 flights daily, serves about 250 cities in 50 countries.

American Airlines is the second largest airline based in the United States after Delta Air Lines. (Delta became the largest airline in the world when it bought the United States-based Northwest Airlines in October 2008).