MSPeconomist

Is it possible that the beer was purchased inside the terminal, either in a convenience store or in duty free? Possession of it inside a lounge does not prove that it was taken from the lounge as I don't believe the OP witnessed a theft. Also, if it had been stolen from a lounge, I would have expected the perpetrator to keep the bag zipped rather than having it open in plain sight.

Finavia

6 beers for two people on a 4hr+ BoB flight to Gran Canaria?? I hope they enjoyed them!! Personally I'd prefer to buy the cold ones onboard, and I certainly wouldn't get worked up about someone taking about £2 worth of beer from the lounge!!

Enigma368

I agree that it is not classy to be taking/stealing multiple cans of Heineken from the lounge.

That said I find this kind of internet vigilantism - OMG I found a stranger on instagram who may have taken 6 cans of beer from the lounge, let's crucify him, a bit much. Especially when there could be an innocent explanation - he might not actually be in the lounge, he might have put 6 cans of beer into his bag for an "amusing" instagram pic and then returned them to the fridge.

Not saying that it doesn't look likely that he took them from the lounge, and not saying it is not classless if he did, but surely we have better things to do and talk about than gathering around with our pitchforks over something minor we don't even know for sure happened.

act0fgod

I asked once if I could take a can of cider out of a lounge in Dublin. Was told alcoholic beverages were not permitted to be taken out of the lounge area.

LTN Phobia

I don't know for sure about the duty free selling Heineken although I don't think there is, as beers are not normally the duty free thing and I do not recall seeing cans of beers at T5 duty free, although I am cannot be 100% certain. There is no convenience store airside at LHR T5 that sells alcoholic drinks as far as I know.

If that is indeed the case, the only possibilities are the lounges or maybe at one of the pubs serving it in a can but would anyone buy 6 cans of beer from an airport pub?

Of course, the security could be incredibly slack but I can't see that as a likely possibility One can of beer sneaking through the liquid restriction is one thing, 6 can would be rather slack!

HilFly

Maybe they did know what it was about, but we don't.

There are a lot of assumptions in this thread.

missdimeaner

It would certainly give me a sense of embarrassment and shame- even if I was only charged a couple of quid !

LCY8737

Indeed. In monetary terms the loss of 6 cans of beer is completely negligible. Many a poster on this board and their LPGS consumption in the CCR will be far more damaging to BA's bottom line.

As for the morals, all the outraged ones on this forum should be grateful that they don't feel the need to steal a six pack. I would not want to either be that poor, or alcoholic, or kleptomanic.

crazyarmadillo

seen quite a few of these threads and comments elsewhere on the internet lately and normally I dont have a viewpoint.

But if it is happening more and more due to BOB, the only thing that would annoy me now from this is, that there may be no cold beers left for someone who wants one. Thats it really, some people do the daftest of things when they at the airport or fly.

Luckily, I dont drink Heinekein, so doesnt matter personally. Maybe costs may increase for me as if evryone took 6 cans, then BA price may go up.

But who knows, maybe this guy was delayed by BA - i.e. he had planned 2 hours in the lounge, but his incoming was delayed by BAs fault, by 1 hr 45, so his lounge time was 15 mins. Not that I can understand why anyone would need 6 heienkens for a flight tho. Why not just get a beer on board.. Dear oh dear... I just dont understand why they would do it. Just wierd.

Who knows - as I say, the things Ive seen people do at airports and onboard, is beyond my comprehension.

Blueboys999

How is a "man's sports bag" distinguished from any other? Seems to be just 1 of many assumptions being made about this non-event.

crazyanglaisy

It must be the case that all of these instances of lounge theft have no discernible impact on BA's bottom line - in the sense that they have a negligible impact on recorded lounge consumption. If it was otherwise, I'm sure BA would have taken steps to do something about it. Presumably, even the cost of printing out those signs that tell you to consume food and drink in the lounges isn't worth the effort on the basis of the data available. Above and beyond this, everything else is just standard flyertalk moralism.

Gig103

I'm with you, Enigma. Similarly on Cruise Critic, there have been threads with pictures of strangers posted with the express purpose of mocking them for not being in the "correct" attire for the night. Someone let their vacation get dampened, and spent money for satellite internet, to try and shame some strangers.

crazyarmadillo

indeed ^, sorry just missed your post before I posted. My partner just said exact same thing about the actual 'cost' to BA. Probably very true.

Still annoying I suppose tho, if you want a cold Heieneken and theres none in the fridge. I would be annoyed if it was Amstel Light.

But I not the BA police, so would never say anything, let alone take pictures of people.

I was once made to feel guilty taking a newspaper out, from a thread here before. EDIT - I now take Business Traveller. God knows, Ill probably be photographed - warning I will prosecute anyone who takes pics of me

Who am I to judge...Im just a simple guy

1010101

What i find worst of all is that someone feels the need to play BA lounge police and go to the effort of posting this. Do you have nothing better to do? All i see is a picture of some cans of beer in a bag. I wonder how Mathew Acreman would feel about such defamatory accusations being made about him.

LTN Phobia

I somehow doubt that's what it is. More likely "it's free at the point of delivery, let's take the mick" which happens a fair bit. They might not even feel it's stealing. They might be feeling no different from people who normally do not drink champagne but would over-indulge because it's free at the point of delivery, really.

One thing that is definitely bad though - when something like removal of beers from the lounge gets to BA's attention, in the current cost-cutting drive in particular, they might become a bit (or a lot) more restrictive about things and there may well be signs put up (as they did/do at some lounges) saying that anything in the lounge is for the consumption within the lounge, which effectively bans taking of a single tea bag or a bag of crisps that a lot of people on this forum seem to approve of/do (I don't personally take anything from a lounge unless specifically permitted, but it seems to be a fairly common thing), so it can adversely affect others. In addition any portable packs may be reduced and become 'bulk only', in the case of beers, that'd have to be on tap.

Mind you, beer on tap would probably be deemed an improvement, and the Instagrammar in the OP's post may well have been trying to force the issue on BA by doing it