Morning drink

[Jet2LeedsTom]

Hello guys n gals, just a quick question really..

Next week I travel on an early (6.30am-ish) short haul flight from a UK airport (not Jet2, and not from Leeds, despite my name, I might add) to a European city destination with three friends.

We're all lads, we're all in our late twenties. I only mention that because it MIGHT play into a boys-on-the-lash stereotype.

Anyway, I'm terrified of flying. As is a friend of mine. Hence, we'll be having a drink pre-boarding.

We are totally upstanding folk, not trouble causers, not ravers, not lager louts BUT I imagine there is a chance we'll have booze on our breathes - unlike other pax cos this aint a regular "party" destination we're heading to.

Providing we're lucid and behaving ourselves; which we will be; presumably we'll be okay. Right.....?!

[raffele]

It's illegal to be under the influence of intoxicating substances onboard aircraft. However, airlines are human and realise people might be on holiday and therefore might have a drink or two either before boarding and or onboard.

As long as you keep the amount you drink down to a minimum and don't cause trouble you'll be fine.

Be aware that you get quite dehydrated whilst in flight, made worse by alcohol, so buy a bottle of water at the airport and take it on board with you/take the airline up on their drinks service if the airline you're flying with has one

[homesick rae]

Tom,

I wouldn't worry too much about it.

There may well be others with similar issues.

Good that you have taken the time to ask though.

I am sure you will be fine.

Enjoy your break.

Cheers!

HR

[ashlea]

Ha! That's common as muck, no need to fret, just ensure you're not actually drunk upon boarding.

[EISNN]

It's not illegal to have a few drinks during a flight so it's not going to be a problem if you have ONE OR TWO ONLY before you board the flight. And as long as you're not singing your heads off as you board I reckon you'll be fine. Enjoy the trip and happy trails.

[ArthurBorges]

Before consuming alcohol anywhere, I think you have to review a few considerations:

1. How much can you drink and function normally in the event of an emergency or other unforeseen event? You don't want to overreact or react too slowly if something goes wrong unexpectedly.

2. Are you taking any medication? When two molecules (e.g. alcohol + Prozac) team up, their effect can be many times stronger than the simple sum of their individual effects.

3. If a flight gets bumpy, how will the alcohol affect your ability to digest the inflight meal? Barf bags are prettiest when left unused.

4. How much at home do you feel inside a tightly sealed metallic cylinder elbow-to-elbow with a stranger on either side? Alcohol and/or medication may make you more vulnerable to feelings of claustrophobia that has caused some folks to try opening the exit at altitude -- in short, some very very nice people go totally out of control and end up sandwiched between two husky sky marshals for summary disembarkation.

5. See Calm down-11/11/1998-Flight International (http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/1998/11/11/44881/calm-down.html) and google "air rage" or "cabin rage" for details of how silly and dangerous very nice otherwise reasonably normal people can become.