Too drunk to fly

[Nearly Sane]

As a connoisseur of the red eye, the drinking at 5.30am has always been a thing to see.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40929225

[floo]

As a connoisseur of the red eye, the drinking at 5.30am has always been a thing to see.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40929225

I don't think alcohol should be served on planes, and maybe people should have to be breath tested before flying. If over the limit set, they should forfeit the flight and the money they paid for it. Drunken passengers are a danger. 

[Nearly Sane]

I don't think alcohol should be served on planes, and maybe people should have to be breath tested before flying. If over the limit set, they should forfeit the flight and the money they paid for it. Drunken passengers are a danger.

What blood alcohol level do you suggest?

[Aruntraveller]

I don't think alcohol should be served on planes, and maybe people should have to be breath tested before flying. If over the limit set, they should forfeit the flight and the money they paid for it. Drunken passengers are a danger.

OH FFS. So again, because of a small group of people who cannot control themselves the rest of us should be denied something pleasurable. A small bottle of wine on a plane is THE only thing that makes the whole damn fiasco bearable for me.

Why don't you campaign for something that would make the whole trip more pleasurable for all - like wider seats, more leg room and no bloody children.


Now that would be a fucking improvement.

[Gordon]

There was a TV programme on this on one of the cable channels which I ended up watching.

A key factor seems to be the value of alcohol sales 'air-side', before flying, to the airports/airlines in both duty free sales, where some then consume on board what they've bought (even though they've been told not to), and for immediate consumption in the airport bars on the other side of security. It seems they can sell alcohol from the time the earliest flight of the day starts, which is as early as 4am, since the licensing laws that apply before going 'air-side' don't apply once passengers pass through into the pre-flight area. If they did then in Scottish airports there would be no sales of minatures (which it seems are problem since they are easy to hide and then drink once seated) or larger bottles/cans in duty-free outlets before 10am.

According the the programme the airlines/airports were reluctant to discuss the issue and the government haven't responded encouragingly to a recent report by the HoL (I think) suggesting legislation is now needed given the increase in problems due to drunk passengers and surreptitious drinking on board.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40929225

[floo]

OH FFS. So again, because of a small group of people who cannot control themselves the rest of us should be denied something pleasurable. A small bottle of wine on a plane is THE only thing that makes the whole damn fiasco bearable for me.

Why don't you campaign for something that would make the whole trip more pleasurable for all - like wider seats, more leg room and no bloody children.


Now that would be a fucking improvement.

It is sad some people need alcohol to make a flight pleasurable. I still maintain alcohol should be banned on all flights.

[Rhiannon]

I find flying more pleasurable without drunk people around me.

[Aruntraveller]

It is sad some people need alcohol to make a flight pleasurable. I still maintain alcohol should be banned on all flights.

It is sad some people need to criticize others for life's little pleasures.

I guess there will always be killjoys amongst us.

On a serious point - I fly at the most three times a year - I know there are others here who fly much more frequently.

My experience of drunken people affecting the 'enjoyment' of my flight in all the years I have been flying is zero.

My experience of badly behaved children affecting my flight has been significantly higher than that.

I find flying more pleasurable without children around me, so what?

[Rhiannon]

Because families have a right to holidays too? Or do you suggest that right only applies to the childless?

[BeRational]

It is sad some people need to criticize others for life's little pleasures.

I guess there will always be killjoys amongst us.

On a serious point - I fly at the most three times a year - I know there are others here who fly much more frequently.

My experience of drunken people affecting the 'enjoyment' of my flight in all the years I have been flying is zero.

My experience of badly behaved children affecting my flight has been significantly higher than that.

I find flying more pleasurable without children around me, so what?

My experience is the same as yours.

I have never seen a drunken passenger, but I have seen kids, essentially being kids as they are bored, but nevertheless irritating.

[Rhiannon]

I get irritated by kids on flights. Also people with loud voices, people who haven't washed, people who are rude to the airline hosts... that's flying for you, and one reason I try to avoid it.

[Aruntraveller]

Because families have a right to holidays too? Or do you suggest that right only applies to the childless?

Well if the parents controlled their children there wouldn't be a problem

Did I suggest they didn't? Well perhaps I did facetiously earlier on.

I don't see why a failure to manage this situation by airports and airlines should lead to me, or anyone else being deprived of one small ( 2 glasses) bottle of (extortionately priced)wine.

And frankly I'm sick of the high and mighty attitude (not you) displayed by somebody who appears to enjoy nothing in life except carping on about 'how sad' other people's lives are.

Control the drinking by all means - one or two drink per person per flight (short haul) - but to ban it is making the majority pay for a minorities misbehavior.


In fact we should be arguing for a change in the law to prevent people going out for a walk in case they get attacked. That will stop muggings.  You see punish the majority for a minorities crime.

[Nearly Sane]

This has been a relatively quiet time for me this year in terms of plane travel, probably only about 30 flights, an average year would be up to about 70 by now. Much of that is short haul business and pleasure in the UK. I could obviously exist without the alcohol but it's a small pleasure at the end of what are usually very long days. On those flights, I've never seen any problems with drink, there have been the usual % of rude dickheads, there are few children though on my last flight I had to tell the child and parent behind me off for kicking the seat.


I do think that some limit makes some sense, I well remember looking on askance at the mostly elderly demand for drink on the 8.00am to Barcelona. I fear that it is an unenforceable area though due to the vagueries of aviation law, and a suspicion that it is never going to apply on business class.

[Rhiannon]

I don't see the point in banning the serving of alcohol on planes, especially if a meal is served. I do agree with banning the drinking of all alcohol brought onto a plane and maybe airports could play their part. But I think it's more about a shift in culture - airlines should do more to protect their staff from harassment - plus stiffer penalties for those who are disruptive, drunk or otherwise.

As an aside, when it comes to 'controlling' children I'm not sure what you (Trent) mean. A child that is crying because it's ears are popping or it is scared can't be 'controlled'. In an older child this will show up as whining rather than sobbing. Kicking seats and running up and down the aisles are different. It's not hard to teach a kid to be considerate of others. That said, there's a nightmare age that starts around eighteen months and ends around four where children just want to move and aren't old enough to understand why they have to be in a car seat/buggy/high chair/plane.

I never took mine on a plane until they were plenty old enough to occupy themselves. The thought of taking three little ones on a plane filled me with horror. Nothing wrong with Norfolk.

[floo]

It is a pity people can't see that drunk passengers can endanger a plane and possibly cause it to crash. Far better to be safe than sorry, imo.

[Rhiannon]

It is a pity people can't see that drunk passengers can endanger a plane and possibly cause it to crash. Far better to be safe than sorry, imo.

How can they cause it to crash? By getting all the passengers to conga?

[floo]

How can they cause it to crash? By getting all the passengers to conga?

By causing mayhem in the plane. Anyway who wishes to have to put up with drunken scum when they are flying, I certainly don't!

[Rhiannon]

Nice bit of personal prejudice there. Well done.

[Shaker]

Nothing wrong with Norfolk.

If you're a fan of sex with livestock and genetic disorders it's positively paradise 

[BeRational]

By causing mayhem in the plane. Anyway who wishes to have to put up with drunken scum when they are flying, I certainly don't!

Nor do I, but I have never encountered people being drunk on a plane, so I feel there is no need to ban it, as it is very rare.

If you ban every rare thing because it 'might' cause a problem, what would survive the ban?

[Nearly Sane]

It is a pity people can't see that drunk passengers can endanger a plane and possibly cause it to crash. Far better to be safe than sorry, imo.

It's a pity that you have chosen to misrepresent what people have said

[floo]

We will have to agree to differ on the subject of drinking alcohol on planes.

[BeRational]

We will have to agree to differ on the subject of drinking alcohol on planes.

Have you personally experienced a lot of drunken behaviour on planes?

[Nearly Sane]

Have you personally experienced a lot of drunken behaviour on planes?

You have to remember that time Floo was on a hen do to Magaluf where after fourteen jagerbombs before the plane boarded at 7.55 am, she tackled the steward mid flight and said 'Hand over the spirits, or I do the Macarena on your head! '

[Robbie]

I've never seen anyone drunk on a plane. Flying is one time when I always have a drink or two,makes me drowsy and the time passes more quickly.
Agree with what Rhiannon said about children, sensible to holiday at home when kids are small - but short flights are OK, ones where you're no sooner up than down. Hanging around the airport when there are delays are dreadful for parents and kids, we were there al night once & it was nearly as bad when we returned. I've seen plenty of drinking in those circumstances but not drunkenness on the aeroplane.

BeR