I wonder what the legal situation is regarding drinking in Lounges (apart from the BA policy)?

From memory, the legal drinking age at home is 5, for non-spirits with food is 16 (possibly 14 for Scotland, can't remember), and to purchase is 18.

What would that maket the lounge? Does it count as purchase, as you bought the rights for it with the ticket? As food is available, does it come under that category? Or does it count as simple parental discretion, over 5 years old?

Re smoking - even as a smoker, I'm pretty glad it's not allowed on planes. I remember Aeroflot flights from not long ago, where the air was awful. I'd much rather chew on nicotine gum than do that. However, I do like the model Finnish railways use - small cabins for smoking, with heavy extraction. I doubt this is feasible on planes, though, particularly between countries where smoking rates are below 20%. I think Malév could use it though... (Last report I read had 49% of Hungarian adult males smoking...)