Tiny bottles of Booze

[mickeyd]

Local liquor stores are heavily advertising 99 cent specials on those small "airplane sized" liquor bottles (less than a shot). Small print quotes mew TSA regulations that say it's OK to bring them on board as they are all less that 2OZ. The ad also says that they charge $5 onboard for the same thing as the 5 you have in your carryon bag. LBYM in the sky.

 

[heeyy_joe]

Yep. Here is a link:

Take Alcohol to Drink on Your Flight | I'm a Travel Ninja

 

[athena53]

Heck, yeah- I've been doing it for ages. One caveat: it's against the laws of all of the airlines in the US for you to drink alcohol that hasn't been served to you by a flight attendant, so be discreet. Ask for ice water, drink the water, and pour your beverage of choice on the "rocks".

One a recent trip out of MCI the concession stand was selling individual size bottles of wine in the gate area- not exactly prime vintages and still at high prices, but I figured it would be a bargain compared to the plane. They actually have to pour it into a plastic cup for you and take away the bottle. You have to consume it in the gate area to protect the airline's profits from selling booze on board!

 

[Walt34]

You have to consume it in the gate area to protect the airline's profits from selling booze on board!

That's not the only issue. There are potentially serious fines for the airline if they serve too much alcohol, or serve any to one already too intoxicated. And since you may arrive half-plastered already and not show it that creates an issue for them.

Can't blame them for thinking of CYA. It's not always just about the money.

 

[athena53]

That's not the only issue. There are potentially serious fines for the airline if they serve too much alcohol, or serve any to one already too intoxicated. And since you may arrive half-plastered already and not show it that creates an issue for them.

Can't blame them for thinking of CYA. It's not always just about the money.

And how many passengers are allowed on the plane half-plastered from the airport bar? I understand that they don't want someone to get drunk and disorderly or, heaven forbid, sick, on the plane. Neither would I want to sit next to a drunken passenger on the brink of brawling or throwing up. But trust me, it's about the money. In theory, you could BYOB on board and ask a flight attendant to serve it to you in compliance with their rules. Try that (let's assume you're perfectly sober and appear so) and tell me what happens.

 

[samclem]

That's not the only issue. There are potentially serious fines for the airline if they serve too much alcohol, or serve any to one already too intoxicated. And since you may arrive half-plastered already and not show it that creates an issue for them.

Absolutely correct.

- No person on a plane may drink any alcohol that was not served them by the crew (FAR Part 135.121 (a))
- The crew may not serve alcohol to anyone who appears to be intoxicated (FAR Part 135.121(b))
- The airline may not let any person board a plane if the person appears to be intoxicated. (FAR Part 135.121(c))

 

[MRG]

I'm glad the airlines are paying more attention to folks that are too intoxicated to fly. Back in the early '80s on a nonstop San Diego to KC. There was a group of 5 highly intoxicated individuals, dropping F-bombs, creating a scene in the aircraft. I said something to the flight attendant. She went to the group, pointed at us telling the group of drunks we wanted them to settle down. Needless to say we were harassed and threatened for the rest of the flight. Today the attendant would have been better trained to handle the drunks and they would have been detained at the arrival gate.

I have no problems with folks having a few, but if your out of control, you should get to visit with competent officials that deal with public safty.

 

[athena53]

My Ex flew a lot on business in the 1980s and I don't know if he ever flew a mile sober. You could get away with it back then if you wore an expensive suit and didn't get out of line. (He always had a car and driver at either end.)

 

[Helios]

On my y2k flight to puerto vallarta, there were 30 passengers and 6 female flight attendants, in the 737. Served mimosas, til ran outta orange juice. Then handed out full bottles of champagne if wanted. Told us to sit whereever we wanted. Fl atts danced in back of plane and sang "we r goin to pv" over and over. Flying used to actually be fun.

 

[omni550]

I was just on a 4 hour flight a few weeks ago, when 2 people across the aisle from me pulled this stunt.

I wasn't watching all that closely initially, but I think they both consumed 2 mini bottles of alcohol. The flight attendant noticed a mini-bottle sitting on one of their tray tables and asked that they stash it out of view while making the comment that they should be grateful that he was not "mean" like the other attendants who would've [I'm not sure what --- confiscated?, strip searched?, fined? ---the guilty parties.]

omni

 

[Koolau]

Back in the day, I always brought my own for flying - same on AmTrack "flights". Never had a problem, though I never flaunted it.

Yes, flying used to be a lot more fun. Even coach had enough room to be reasonably comfortable - not to mention that few flights were full.

Flight attendants used to be a lot more fun as well - not nearly so serious as today. I was on a flight that was about a third full. The flight attendant came on for the safety demo and said "In the unlikely survival of a water landing, life vests and life boats are available, blah, blah, blah..." If that didn't sound funny, reread it. YMMV

 

[kcowan]

I have a buddy who takes his flask of scotch everywhere. He orders a glass of ice at restaurants and bars and then consumes his flask in 2 successive glasses of ice.

He has never been challenged but he is discrete. Of course he also does it on planes but then he has to carry one small flask and his wife carries the other one.

We pay for crappy wine on the flight...

 

[grasshopper]

Ms G and I took a 6-pack of Alaskan Summer Ale on the Mckinley Explorer (fancy train) to Denali, just because we had it left over from pizza the night before. Ms G did get caught with a full bottle of vino by the TSA at the Anchorage airport.