ATLANTA - Delta Air Lines will soon tell its domestic passengers in flight that their cash is no longer welcome there.
Atlanta-based Delta said it will accept only credit cards for on-board food and alcoholic drink purchases starting Dec. 1 on North America flights operated by Delta and its merger partner, Northwest.
There are some exceptions: Delta will still take cash and credit on international flights, and it does not accept credit cards on Delta Connection flights on its regional carrier partners.
With the move, Delta joins many other airlines that have gone to “cashless cabins’’ - including AirTran Airways, American, and United.
For in-flight food and beverage purchases, Delta flight attendants use hand-held credit card readers.
The airline recently added the devices to aircraft it acquired with Northwest.
The change to cashless comes as many consumers are trying to cut back on their use of credit cards.
Still, Delta spokesman Paul Skrbec said it will mean increased “convenience and speed of transaction’’ for customers.
