Originally Posted by
Alsacienne
Harry, it is true that I was thinking of passengers using UK airports ... not specifically one nation! It may not be a significant global problem in the light of the present COVID-19 restrictions and procedures, but it is certainly significant for the cabin crew, gate agents,check-in staff and other passengers who have contact with those who have over-imbibed during their journey. Of course we are all aware that the purpose of cabin crew is the passengers' safety, and by withdrawing the purchase of alcoholic beverages before a certain time of day - might 10am GMT be considered reasonable? helps to level the playing field so that the cabin crew et al can do their jobs to their best potential without insensitive, boorish and unacceptable physical behaviour. It also makes for a pleasanter atmosphere for everyone else in the metal tube with no exit once airborne.
Haven't you heard of 'bar commission', just ask pretty much any flight attendant, haven't you recognised their enthusiasm to get that cart out and sell drinks, cigarettes, cuddly toys and the rest of the in-flight sales garbage, it is likely that they are on around a 5% commission from the sales that they make.
I recall one flight HKG/ZRH, it was a midnight departure so the crew were anxious to get the service done PDQ after departure a steward came round with the drinks, I asked for a beer and he replied “Here, you can have two”, I'd been steadily drinking throughout the earlier evening to put myself to sleep so I wasn't exactly in a rush to drink these beers, then the meal was served before the steward came back round with another drinks service, I hadn't touched my first two beers before he served me another two, even after a subsequent few hours sleep I still had beers in my seat pocket.
Another flight I recall was LED/VIE, the steward offered me a choice of three brands of beer, umm'ing and arr'ing which beer to choose he handed me one beer as he joked “You can try the other ones later” … and I did!
Drunk & disorderly passengers is not a significant global problem regardless of COVID-19, I always remember an ex-Servisair workmate and friend of mine telling me that the cheaper the air fare then the worse the passengers even telling me of one Channel Islands passenger jumping over a check-in desk to fight with the check-in clerk, after he told me that I paid attention to recognise that he was right, the worst passengers to Spain are to the Balearics, to Greece then Corfu and don't even get me started on LoCo passengers to/from eastern European sex tourist destinations, I myself always endeavour to travel with legacy carriers where one meets a better class of drinker!
I was particularly impressed when I flew with Philippines Air Asia (Zest Air) SIN/CEB two years ago, for a LoCo not only were the crew and service excellent but all passengers were restricted to a maximum of 3 drinks each and if sat beside an emergency exit then no drinks at all, great idea so long as one is informed at check-in of no drinks beside an exit … Which somehow I doubt they are informed of.
Sure the cabin crew are primarily there for safety but with a captive audience, these days, for up to 18 hours no drinks is likely to have a worse effect than too many drinks, anger etc. is not necessarily alcohol related!
And as restricting the hours that drinks are served do you remember the days when pubs in England & Wales, of a lunchtime, were allowed to open 1030-1430 Monday thru Saturday but only 1200-1400 of a Sunday, it was a joke that wives would be at home cooking the Sunday dinner whilst the men were down the pub squeezing 4 hours of drinking in to just 2 hours and haven't they pretty much anti-socialised so called 'happy hours' to dissuade binge drinking?