Flying a low-cost carrier comes with a trade-off. You might pay less for your ticket, but everything else becomes significantly more expensive.
Often, the ways these airlines cut back are understandable. For example, luggage costs more, snacks are not provided, and any bit of customer choice, such as seat selection, comes with a fee.
That said, some of these changes can be shocking, as TikTok user Marisa (@marisaho7) recently learned in a post with over 133,000 views.
How Did This Flyer Get Free Water?
In her post, Marisa explains that it was her first time flying Allegiant Air, a low-cost carrier headquartered in Las Vegas.
According to Marisa, she asked a flight attendant for a cup of water. The flight attendant then informed her that a cup of water would be $4.50 but that they could “give [her] ice & [she] can watch it melt.”
And so, that’s exactly what she did.
In a series of photos, Marisa documents the experience of literally watching ice melt, adding that she was “huffing & puffing into it to produce heat.”
Eventually, she managed to have a full cup of water—just as the plane landed.
“The woman in the seat next to me thought i was insane,” she wrote in a comment. She noted in another comment that her flight was around two and a half hours.
Can Airlines Really Charge You For Water?
Not only can airlines charge you for water, but this isn’t even the first time that this issue—or this solution—has gone viral.
A Dallas Spirit Airlines passenger revealed in a video that they were almost charged for water on a flight. When someone in the comments told them they could simply order ice, they confessed to having done so in the past.
That said, this is not a legal requirement for airlines. A 2018 Vox piece explains that planes must provide snacks and drinks if there’s a significant delay on the tarmac, and they must do so within two hours of the scheduled departure.
Some commenters under Marisa’s video questioned whether one could get water for medication. The answer to that question is unclear.
The Air Carrier Access Act prohibits airlines from discriminating against passengers with disabilities or medical conditions. They must also make reasonable accommodations for these passengers.
If someone needs water to take prescribed medication (especially for a documented disability or chronic condition), denying them water could be interpreted as a failure to accommodate under the ACAA. Some also say that denying water could violate other statutes as well. However, no court has tested this theory, even if internet users say they’ve found success employing it.
Commenters Want Water
In the comments section, users agreed that while this workaround is effective, a better solution would be to simply provide passengers with water.
“I swear to god it should be illegal to charge for a cup of water, anywhere or for any reason,” stated a user.
Others simply shared their own Allegiant stories.
“One time on an allegiant flight the thermostat wasn’t working and the plane was pretty cold. they apologized and let us know we could purchase a blanket for $20,” recalled another.
Further users offered suggestions on how to improve their budget airline experience.
“In case anyone in the comments doesn’t know, you can bring an empty reusable water bottle through TSA and then fill it up for free in the airport before your flight,” advised a commenter.
BroBible reached out to Allegiant Air via email and Marisa via TikTok direct message and comment.