Delta Cashless as of 12/1/09

[Arubalisa]

"We’re Cashless Onboard

http://www.delta.com/traveling_checkin/inflight_services/cashless.jsp

In order to expedite our onboard payment process, we'll only accept credit cards—no cash—beginning December 1, 2009 on Delta and Northwest Airlines® flights traveling within North America, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, Bermuda, and the Caribbean.

Cash and credit will continue to be accepted on all trans-Atlantic, trans-Pacific and South American flights as well as for all duty-free items.

Please keep in mind:

Credit cards accepted onboard include American Express, Diners Club International®, Discover®, Japan Credit Bureau (JCB), MasterCard®, and Visa.

Passengers under our unaccompanied minor program receive one complimentary non-perishable and one perishable item, when available.

A selection of complimentary snacks and nonalcoholic beverages are offered on flights traveling 250 miles or more.

Credit card payments are not yet accepted on Delta Connection® flights."

[Shnyda]

Seems silly! Isn't cash faster than cc processing?

[mattnewhampshire]

Jetblue does this too, and it's freakin annoying.
Don't they have to accept cash by some sort of federal law?

[Arubalisa]

For the opposite viewpoint...

I rarely carry more than a few dollars, using debit card (stays home when I travel), or credit card. It has been at least a few years since my wallet has seen more than a $10 bill at one time.

Dd wanted to go to the movies with a friend the other day. Dh, the guy with the $$$ cash was not home. I only had $4 in my wallet. Luckily I remembered she had a pre-paid debit card.

Food for thought...On an airline flight does it take longer to swipe a card than make change when you only have a $20 and are sitting in the back of the plane and the attendants have run out of small bills?

[Shnyda]

Originally Posted by mattnewhampshire

Don't they have to accept cash by some sort of federal law?

The pertinent portion of law that applies to your question is the Coinage Act of 1965, specifically Section 31 U.S.C. 5103, entitled "Legal tender," which states: "United States coins and currency (including Federal reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal reserve banks and national banks) are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues."
This statute means that all United States money as identified above are a valid and legal offer of payment for debts when tendered to a creditor. There is, however, no Federal statute mandating that a private business, a person or an organization must accept currency or coins as for payment for goods and/or services. Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether or not to accept cash unless there is a State law which says otherwise. For example, a bus line may prohibit payment of fares in pennies or dollar bills. In addition, movie theaters, convenience stores and gas stations may refuse to accept large denomination currency (usually notes above $20) as a matter of policy.

[hstvns]

The F/A's love me...I always have exact change for cocktail purchase. Have done so for years.