Premium cabin FAs don't seem to ask for ID very often.

That's an interesting question. It's been a long time since I took conflicts of law in law school (and I have just vague recollections about concepts like renvoi and lex fori). I think, in theory, every state that the airplane passes through may have a claim that the under-age drinker violated that state's minimum drinking age law. (The state may have to prove that the under-age drinker was actually drinking while in that state's airspace.) I can't imagine that any state would actually expend resources to prosecute, but it's quite possible that the hapless under-age drinker could be prosecuted in multiple jurisdictions.

Notably, every state in the US (since around 1988) has a minimum drinking age of 21. This is, of course, thanks to President Ronald Reagan who pushed through legislation (in 1984?) forcing states to raise the drinking age to 21 under the threat that the states would otherwise lose federal highway funds.

The fact that he told you speaks well of you, your son and your relationship.

I anticipate platbrownguy, our DL forum resident expert on underage drinking, will have much anecdotal evidence to offer on this subject once he checks the thread!

I don't understand -- if I my wife & I don't want to be surrounded by a bunch of drunk high school students, that would seem to be a good reason to fly US-based carriers!

Thanks, DLfan. I have a pretty open relationship with all my kids and we have very few secrets among us (or so I believe).

I am 19 (soon to be 20) and have been served drinks several times. Even when I was 17 they offered, but sometimes I was scared and sometimes I was a litte braver to say yes. I've never been asked to provide any ID and don't think it is necessay. I don't think it is a big deal, even though against the law, to be served in the air b/c the FAs have control on how much you consume.

Isn't anything above 12,000 AGL considered federal air space? So I think it would only be the departure or arrival state that could lay claim in such a case. But could be very wrong.

I completely agree with DLFan here - the fact that your son told you this means your relationship is far more open than mine ever was with my dad... in any case, isn't the drinking age for beer and wine 16 in France?

At first when I saw the thread title, I was like "oh no, another one of these posts...", but it is interesting to hear that there have been some instances of people being carded.

The age may be 21, but I had my first drink on an airplane at 15, and it was a joint effort between the guy sitting next to me and the flight attendant - the flight had been delayed several hours and all drinks were being comped, and my order of "I'll have a Sprite please" wouldn't be tolerated ;).

Since, then I've never been carded except for once at the DFW Crown Room by the mean woman who's not there anymore. Once on America West, I ordered a drink after being opuped to F onboard, and he asked for ID. I rolled my eyes, said "you're joking, right?", and stared at him as he fetched me my Glenmorangie :).

There have been some flights where the flight attendants have eagerly helped me fall asleep-by-way-of-drunkenness, pouring doubles and offering silent refills... even if this isn't the case though, I've never actually witnessed anyone get carded onboard a major carrier. Also, the only time I've ever been "cut off" was on Korean Air LAX-ICN (in coach)... I was travelling with a friend (keep in mind that this is a THIRTEEN HOUR flight), and we were limited to a grand total of 3 drinks, even if we offered to pay! Even worse was that initially upon asking for "two beers", the flight attendant came back 20 minutes later with two styrofoam cups of milk. Yay for calcium. IIRC, we both made up for it dearly in the ICN lounge before the flight to HKG.


I wonder, is it actual law that they can't serve to under-21s when in the air, or just "airline policy"?

I am almost 21 but I have been offered drinks in FC and on international flights since i've been about 17 or so. THe FAs don't usually seem to care although if you are flying alone, they may be more likely to question you. On non US based carriers (AF, BA, etc), they don't even think twice about serving you.

The only thing I am questioned about on airplanes is if I am over 15 when I sit in the emergency exit rows- even if i'm scruffy after a busy week.

I'm 19, and almost always fly alone... if I were a F/A (or bartender, as is the much more plausible scenario), I'd much more quickly card a group of hooligans than a business-traveller-ish person.

Nothing against hooligans, though.

I'm almost 18 and am almost without exception offered alcohol in F/J domestic and international. I generally dressed pretty well and they see I'm elite on the manifests which I have no doubt contributes. Two things I have noted (not me personally, other pax), is one that the "nicer" the drink the less they card (ie beer vs. wine) and the better dressed the less likely to card. Actually, a few months ago I was flying ATL-SAN on a dinner flight, I was offered wine and declined but my seatmate (an op-up) was not offered and had to ask, then the FA carded him. Turns out he was 6 years older than me :eek: .

dspringer28 I can't help to notice your elite statuses on various airlines and hotel programs and you are only 18? I am 19 and can hardly deal with the travel I do with being a FT student and having a FT job. How do you do it?

I'm a legal consumer at 22 now, but I have been served onboard DL since I was 18 without any questions. However, when I was 19 and traveling for business and dressed to fit the part, I stepped into a bar/cafe similar to Sam Adams at Hartsfield and this rather large bartender leaned over the counter and stared and said, "I need to see your ID son". Needless to say I could have crawled under the bar stool!

I travel a bunch in the first place for various family things, then throw in a few mile runs and a comp and that's what you get :D

In a few months I am geting the AMEX that comes with US Gold (if there still around), DL Gold and CO gold which will both inflate how much flying it looks like I do as well as cutting down on extra flying I do to keep up status ^

Man this guy can pull it off better than anyone on the planet. I think that I have a better chance of getting carded that he does. And for those that have seen me, you know I don't get carded much.