rumbataz

I've noticed a lot more passengers who stink of booze prior to boarding the aircraft who then go on to drink as much alcohol as possible during the flight.

Surprisingly it's the more well-heeled and DYKWIA brigade that are the worst culprits - the kind who would look down upon Happy Hour at some chavvy urban nightclub. Yet, on board an aircraft, it's several Happy Hours for them.

So, what is the etiquette on consuming alcohol on board an aircraft without looking like an alcoholic who's trying to get as much free booze as possible before landing?

Crampedin13A

How can you smell all these passengers on a flight stinking of booze? I call BS

BHDATC

You smell your fellow passengers before flights?

As above. Nonsense.

shorthauldad

The OP may be exaggerating, but I get the feeling that alcohol is an important part of flying with BA for many FTers.

Thought experiment: imagine BA had removed all booze from lounges and aircraft for Lent, and was going to donate the money saved to Flying Start.

A good idea?

BSCBNEWYORK

I think you are right. I was in F lounge at LHR ten days ago. I got in about 5 30 pm. I watched a large amount of suited up guys, all who have the big gold tag prominently showing DYKWIA. They are usually in lounge for about 20 mins and seem hell bent of snorting a large amount of strong booze in a very short space of time. I find it hilarious they way they eye each other up and down like strutting peacocks. Oh and dont forget the compulsory phone call to advise your friends you are in the F lounge not the business lounge.

paul4040

I'd support this.

I don't get the obsession with booze in airport lounges. We'll look back on it as an anachronism one day.

Hoch

Smelling aside , I suspect because people perceive it to be 'free' and indulge more than they might ordinarily. Certainly when I was young and flying I drank more than I would at home. But even now I probably drink a little bit more simply because it's not something I do too often, which shows in not being able to keep up with a younger me

H

BRITINJAPAN3

I also doubt the OP can smell with such sensitivity he can tell how much alcohol someone has drunk !!

I tend to drink a fair amount for a number of reasons:

1) Its free, why not
2) I get the chance to try some wines I dont normally have acces to
3) It helps me sleep on long hauls
4) I enjoy it and it does others no harm
5) none of your business

LTN Phobia

Yes, why not

It'll be fun to watch a lot of people in a state of rage.

BA had better be careful though - some might burst a blood vessel from fury and might have to divert and the schedule gets all messy and people start trying to claim the EU261 here, there and everywhere (although they won't get anywhere), and then people will start claiming Avios compensation for the lack of alcoholic drinks.

A safer way to test it is to make passengers pay for all alcoholic drinks for Lent in lounges and in the air and donate the money they get to Flying Start. I'd say it's "safer" that way (I suspect it will reduce consumption a lot though, so Flying Start may not get much from this?!)

This experiment could be fun. Not that I'm particularly bothered by anyone drinking as long as they are not bothering me with excessive smell or becoming 'drunk and clumsy' and throwing their drinks about or making horrible noise throwing up or becoming disorderly, in other words, if they are quietly enjoying their drinks and not 'intruding on others' by excessive smell, sound or conduct, then go right ahead...

borofergie

It's not so much the lounge drinking that annoys me, it's the people in the back of the bus who require a constant supply of Heineken to fuel their way across the Atlantic, just because it's "free", despite the fact that you can by more booze than you can drink for Ł20 down the local supermarket.

Lots of the difference between the Gold and Silver experience is down to the quality of the booze. If you don't drink much, the difference between Gold and Silver is greatly diminished.

Greenpen

Why all the comments about smelling others? If someone has been drinking and you have not, then they will smell of booze. Your cat could identify this from 20m but, in the close confines of a plane and associated queues, so too can a human!

You are not meant to be drunk on an aeroplane but in F the cabin crew happily pour it down your throat using a funnel. A bit more refined in Y as you need to ask for individual bottles but still enough dispensed to render half the cabin drunk.

Filthy Monkey

Gosh, you really are an odd, judgemental lot on here sometimes!

passy777

No generalisation there then!

I certainly like a drink on board and in the lounges - and I am certainly not well heeled or (hopefully) not a DYKWIA type.

I work bloody hard all year and as all my trips are for leisure and therefore paid for out of my own pocket, my journeys always start at the lovely NCL lounge with a large Grey Goose and tonic - irrespective of the time of the day.

My definition of etiquette on board is to enjoy the complimentary drinks and don't make an ar$e of yourself by annoying you fellow passengers.

DirkGently

I suspect these are the same people who object to the occasional whiff of stale baccy. For the sake of their olfactory senses maybe they should consider the possibility of private wings.

Lioneye

Did someone die and put you in charge?

I agree to the extent that alcohol should be refused to mature middle class women. Invariably they get tanked up and fruity and then start flirting.

Instead of the "units" and "drink responsibly" warnings on bottles they should just print a picture of one of these with their smudged make-up gurning at you.

I call them kronenbergs.

They look 16 from behind but 64 when they turn around.