Nor me. I don't get it. It's very much a British thing where some of us think 'free drink' and feel it has to be taken in quantities we'd never consider at home (unless we're aged 18-21, a student, on a night out). I just can't take it anymore and I'm in my 40s! I'll have a drink in the lounge and a couple of G&Ts on the plane, but I often don't even take up the welcome drink. I like a clear head to start and usually have the laptop out before taking off and for an hour or so after. Getting drunk on a flight to the US isn't wise.

I guess business depends on whether you're travelling for business or a one-off treat. If it's the latter, it's different of course.

The other reason I don't drink too much is I hate heading to the US and then standing for up to two hours shuffling through immigration. That happened in March when I flew into ORD. Despite being one of the first off the plane, we were behind at least three others and at the back of a very long slow-moving queue. I hate that, made worse if you need the loo and/or with a fuzzy head after all those 'free flowing' drinks (not overlooking you don't want to through that TSA interview half-drunk either!).