Last edit by: Banana4321
Beergate: A Summary
Two males were observed removing free beer (estimated to be c.20 cans of an unknown brewer) from the First Lounge (South) at London Heathrow's Terminal 5 on Friday 30th June 2017 between the hours of noon and approximately 17:00. The two men are white and probably have in excess of 1600 Tier Points.
200 outraged posts on an airline-related online forum then wasted at least 1000 man-hours of British industry at a cost of over £100 due to middle-ranking executives having not much better to do than comment on this feat of potential drinking whilst being flown.
Anybody with any news on this treasonable crime should not bother calling CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111. A reward of 6 cans of beer is available should the original beer cans be recovered.
Police are uninterested in talking to anyone in the vicinity at the time.
Any BREAKING NEWS on this front-page story will be added to this wiki immediately it happens
Two males were observed removing free beer (estimated to be c.20 cans of an unknown brewer) from the First Lounge (South) at London Heathrow's Terminal 5 on Friday 30th June 2017 between the hours of noon and approximately 17:00. The two men are white and probably have in excess of 1600 Tier Points.
200 outraged posts on an airline-related online forum then wasted at least 1000 man-hours of British industry at a cost of over £100 due to middle-ranking executives having not much better to do than comment on this feat of potential drinking whilst being flown.
Anybody with any news on this treasonable crime should not bother calling CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111. A reward of 6 cans of beer is available should the original beer cans be recovered.
Police are uninterested in talking to anyone in the vicinity at the time.
Any BREAKING NEWS on this front-page story will be added to this wiki immediately it happens
Someone nicking 20+ cans of beer from the F-lounge (got it on video)
#61
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,406
I disagree. Taking one can or a bag of crisps for consumption is fair enough. All sorts of reasons why this might occur... delays at check-in, late connecting flight. Taking 20 is entirely different.
#63
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,619
Either it is theft or it is not. whether 1 bag of crisps or 10 - it is still theft. If 1 can of drink is ok to take, then why not 5?
#64
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,830
Judging from the video, they used the chillers in an area some distance from the two BaxterStorey base stations, and with a large wine/water/glasses unit in front. So they would have been quite well hidden, they didn't use the chillers in the Refectory area, which are very open to view, and they looked quite slick in the execution of their heist. They knew what they were doing, but since they are almost certainly Gold cardholders they may well be quite familiar with how the lounge works.
I've seen this happen before, the BA (not BS) lounge manager will ask them if they have taken extra items, if they say yes then the manager will ask them to return excess items. They try not to escalate matters too much, preferring the embarrassment factor to work. However, I've no idea what happened here and I guess we're unlikely to find out unless the culprits choose to "out" themselves here. And that would be somewhat foolhardy!
I've seen this happen before, the BA (not BS) lounge manager will ask them if they have taken extra items, if they say yes then the manager will ask them to return excess items. They try not to escalate matters too much, preferring the embarrassment factor to work. However, I've no idea what happened here and I guess we're unlikely to find out unless the culprits choose to "out" themselves here. And that would be somewhat foolhardy!
#65
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
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Taking five cans is not.
#66
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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There's a materiality factor here Dave. There was a time when people were sent to the gallows for sheep rustling (a little harsh perhaps and luckily we discovered Australia), but even in our enlightened times the removal of 20 plus cans can be regarded as way more serious than 2.
#67
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,619
There's a materiality factor here Dave. There was a time when people were sent to the gallows for sheep rustling (a little harsh perhaps and luckily we discovered Australia), but even in our enlightened times the removal of 20 plus cans can be regarded as way more serious than 2.
I do not agree with theft but see dual standards here of the nature of "what I steal is ok, but beyond that is wrong"
#69
#70
Join Date: Sep 2008
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#71
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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If one's mindset sees it only as dual standards then your lead in clause can be understood. However if you see this as a continuum, where one can is immaterial and 20 (?) cans is grand larceny, then one's sense of outrage can be calibrated. The law and law enforcement recognises the same principle.
#72
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
Because one can for immediate consumption is not depriving the airline of property that they could otherwise be using. The one can you are taking (for whatever reason) is a reasonable consumption and most likely assumed in the cost of the lounge access.
Taking five cans is not.
Taking five cans is not.
There is no such thing as "reasonable" for "cost of lounge access". Nobody pays anything for lounge access, nor knows how much it costs, and lounge access is the same fee regardless of whether or not you drink anything. It is like a buffet basically.
#73
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: CAMRA GGL (Gold Card Holder/Lifetime membership)
Posts: 727
I think it's theft that BA used to give me a beer in my airline ticket price, but stopped doing that without reducing the cost of the airline ticket price. I recoup their theft by taking a beer from their lounge to drink onboard instead.
#74
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Brexile in ADB
Programs: BA, TK, HHonours, Le Club, Best Western Rewards
Posts: 7,067
That would be an interesting defence in court.
#75
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
Beyond moral or legal issues, don't those people who take stuff out of lounges feel cheap? I'd feel pretty ashamed of myself to take anything without asking or being given express permission to do so and find my behaviour cheap and nasty, which I'd find quite hard to commit.
I'd do the same. Misuse/abuse shouldn't be tolerated.
What equally upsets me (as well as what effectively amounts to theft) is their unthinking attitude. It could end up causing more cuts or inconveniences for others if too many people are doing things like this, e.g. removal of stuff in smaller containers and everything from a tap.
Although, I suspect some people would probably prefer all beers to be from taps rather than cans and that could be seen as public service
I don't understand why people don't do the simple thing of asking, "May I take this"? If they are told yes, then do so (but only "this" and not "10 of this")... If not, then don't.
What equally upsets me (as well as what effectively amounts to theft) is their unthinking attitude. It could end up causing more cuts or inconveniences for others if too many people are doing things like this, e.g. removal of stuff in smaller containers and everything from a tap.
Although, I suspect some people would probably prefer all beers to be from taps rather than cans and that could be seen as public service
I don't understand why people don't do the simple thing of asking, "May I take this"? If they are told yes, then do so (but only "this" and not "10 of this")... If not, then don't.
Last edited by LTN Phobia; Jul 3, 2017 at 1:59 am