Airline Passengers Requesting This Unusual Non-Alcoholic Beverage Have Flight Attendants Baffled

The beverage service is arguably the best part of a flight. Yes, you're crammed uncomfortably into a small seat with hundreds of strangers flying tens of thousands of feet in the air for hours, but at least you get a little treat. Most airlines still offer complimentary non-alcoholic beverages and some of the best gourmet airplane snacks you can find in the sky. The standard soft drinks you can count on are water, juice, sodas, coffee, and tea. But once in a while, passengers make a request that leaves flight attendants scratching their heads. A Delta Air Lines flight attendant that goes by u/Numerous_Plastic4279 on Reddit recently shared a story about a weird beverage request in a post on r/flightattendants, titled: What's up with the milk requests? 

Instead of asking for one of the standard drinks offered during beverage service, a passenger asked if he could have a glass of milk. What was even more baffling was the passenger's reaction when the flight attendant said the airline didn't serve milk. "He looks genuinely confused. Like I just told him we ran out of oxygen," u/Numerous_Plastic4279 wrote. The passenger dejectedly explained that milk was a comfort drink and helped him keep him calm, but accepted that he wouldn't be getting any on that flight. "It was just the absurdity of the moment — me, holding a soda can in one hand, trying not to fall over in turbulence, and having to explain why Delta isn't an airborne dairy farm." Judging from this Redditor's reaction, this is one of those easy-to-make mistakes that drive the crew up the wall.

Delta and many other airlines don't serve milk for a variety of reasons, one of which being the lack of cooling storage facilities to keep the milk stable. Some airlines that do have milk for coffee and teas, such as United Airlines, are not allowed to pass them out for any purpose other than adding them to coffee and teas. However, there are some airlines, like American, that have cartons of shelf-stable milk available, usually for children, though be aware that it may be served warm. It's not plainly advertised and is one of many secrets of inflight beverage service that you need to be in on to know it's there. Commenters under u/Numerous_Plastic4279's thread also shared some other airlines where they were able to get their hands on some milk during beverage service, including Air Canada.

Aside from milk being a comfort drink for some adult flyers, it is also an essential nutrient for babies and toddlers. Since it's not guaranteed that all airlines will provide it, it's best to plan ahead. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) allows parents to bring formula, breast milk, toddler drinks, and baby food through security and onto planes even if they exceed the 3.4 ounces liquid limit. Though it is doubtful that the same exception will be made for a grown adult. So if you think it will be difficult to fly without a glass of milk, you should try your luck at the shops inside the terminal rather than waiting for the beverage service onboard.