American Airlines to resume alcohol sales on certain flights in April

American Airlines paused the sale of alcohol on flights when the COVID-19 pandemic began

American Airlines announced Thursday it will resume selling alcohol on domestic and short-haul international flights in April.

An American Airlines spokesperson told FOX Business that it will "slowly reintroduce its buy-on-board" program on April 18, which includes light snacks and alcoholic beverage purchases on flights over 250 miles.

"Beginning April 18, American will slowly reintroduce its buy-on-board program including alcohol and light snacks to domestic main cabin flights. Customers traveling on flights over 250 miles will be offered beer, wine and spirits," the spokesperson said.

JETBLUE, AMERICAN, SOUTHWEST PILOTS SUE CDC OVER FEDERAL MASK MANDATE

An American Airlines Boeing 777 plane takes off from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport in Roissy-en-France near Paris, France, December 2, 2021. (Reuters/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo)

American Airlines also announced it will introduce "touchless ordering" for passengers beginning later in 2022.

The company, along with many other airlines, ended the in-flight sale of alcoholic beverages at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.

American Airlines delayed the resumption of alcoholic beverage sales due to unruly passengers causing violent incidents onboard flights.

AMERICAN AIRLINES CUTS SUMMER FLIGHTS BECAUSE OF DELAYED BOEING JETS

American Airlines passenger jets prepare for departure, on July 21, 2021, at Boston Logan International Airport in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

Nearly 6,000 cases of unruly airline passengers were reported to the Federal Aviation Administration in 2021, resulting in 1,075 investigations.

Between 2016 and 2020, the FAA averaged 136 investigations per year.

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE   

An American Airlines airplane is seen at John F. Kennedy International Airport during the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant in Queens, New York City, U.S., December 26, 2021.  (Reuters/Jeenah Moon / Reuters Photos)

Southwest Airlines brought back alcoholic beverage purchases on most flights that are 176 miles or more on Feb. 16 and United Airlines brought back some alcoholic beverage purchases on June 1, 2021.

FOX Business' Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.