Don’t drink and fly.
Words to live by, not just if you’re a pilot, but if you’re a passenger.
Sandra Langer explains why: On a recent trip from Amsterdam to New York, she watched a good number of her fellow passengers get hammered. “Red-faced men blocked the aisles, puked in the bathroom and groped the females — along with a laughing crew,” says Langer, a writer who lives in New York.
That’s right, some crewmembers were also inebriated. The trip made a lasting impression on Langer. “Never again will I take a connecting flight through Amsterdam,” she says.
Stories like hers make you wonder if it’s time to limit, or even stop serving alcohol on flights.
Some airlines do. Bahrain’s parliament earlier this year voted to ban alcohol on Gulf Air flights. Other carriers have policies that limit the amount of alcohol that can be served to passengers.
Not that current laws are what you would call permissive. Federal law restricts alcoholic beverages from being served on a plane without proper certification. It forbids alcohol from being given to someone who appears to be intoxicated, is escorting a prisoner or is carrying “a deadly or dangerous weapon.”
When I proposed an alcohol ban on flights more than a decade ago the response from readers was a resounding “no”. But a lot has changed since then. We’ve had a series of drunken-passenger incidents, each one of which leaves you questioning why passengers are allowed to drink on a plane at all. (I asked the Federal Aviation Administration if any changes were planned to current alcohol-related rules. None are.)
I’ve changed, too. Eleven years ago, I would have though nothing of ordering a glass of wine on a flight. The ban idea? That just made for an interesting story in 1998. But today, as the father of three who doesn’t drink much anymore, I can see the wisdom of abstaining for a few hours on the plane — if not longer.
Here are a few reasons for keeping the cocktails grounded:
1. Alcohol heightens a stressful experience.
Unless you haven’t flown in a few years, you probably know that air travel is getting more stressful. Alcohol can make it worse, say experts. “Drinking on planes has unique hazards, particularly as flying becomes more stressful,” says Karen Sternheimer, a sociologist who teaches at the University of Southern California. “If there is a long delay on the tarmac the irritation can be magnified by alcohol.” At a bare minimum, passengers need to be sober enough to understand and cooperate with crew instructions. “Under increasingly stressful conditions, too much alcohol can make a simple annoyance into a serious problem,” she adds.
2. There’s nowhere to run.
Anywhere else, you can walk away from an unruly drunk. But not on a plane. “It’s a metal tube and blasting off at hundreds of miles per hour,” says Jeffrey Lord, a veteran frequent flier based in Burlington, Vt. (Lord believes alcohol isn’t the only problem on a plane. “How about spending hours strapped in with these stressed-out companions with nothing other than caffeinated beverages being served?” he asks. Good point.)
3. Drinks on a plane aren’t just intoxicating — they’re toxic.
“Higher altitudes do amplify the affect of alcohol, which, as you can imagine, can cause problems for passengers that imbibe too much,” says Ashley Halsey, a spokeswoman for American Behavioral, a healthcare organization that specializes in drug and alcohol abuse and treatment for employers. “Because alcohol impairs judgment, the likelihood of violent or other anti-social behavior is increased. When people fly, they also get dehydrated, and alcoholics tend to drink alcohol instead of water, which tends to increase their adverse reaction.”
4. It’s annoying.
Just listen to Terry Ward’s account of her last flight from Orlando to Newark. “I sat next to a group of guys who were on their way to Montreal for a boys’ weekend,” she remembers. “They started drinking right after we took off and didn’t stop. Hard liquor the whole flight.
I thought the flight attendants would stop serving them but they didn’t, because one of the guys was tipping them $20 each round.” Instead of cutting off the passengers, she made all of their drinks doubles, as they requested. “It was completely obnoxious,” she adds.
5. It’s embarrassing, too.
Who doesn’t have a story to tell about having one too many on a plane? Here’s Denise Vardakas’. She and her mother were flying from San Diego to Grand Cayman, and on their final leg they enjoyed “endless Jack and Diet Cokes.” She adds, “We were having a great time chatting with the crew members, and a few of our fellow passengers.” On their way back a week later, the same crewmembers greeted them as the “Jack and Diet” ladies. Oh, my.
6. You could relapse.
If you’re off the booze, a plane trip is a relapse waiting to happen, say experts. “I’m still constantly surprised by how many of my patients will relapse or overdrink on planes,” says Carrie Wilkens, the co-founder and clinical director of the Center for Motivation & Change, a private group practice in New York that specializes in treating addiction and compulsive behaviors.
“It’s gotten to the point where I’ve heard it as a therapist so regularly that now, when any one of my clients is planning a trip, I tell them, ‘OK, we have to make up a plan for how you’re going to manage this flight.’” Her patients inevitably agree that they drink more in the air, and take precautions to avoid it.
7. How are you getting home?
Even if you survive your flight without incident, there remains the issue of getting back home. If you’re planning to drive, you might keep the case of Dana Papst in mind. A few years ago, after disembarking from a US Airways flight on which he was served alcohol, he crashed his car, killing himself and five others. The FAA later cleared the airline of any wrongdoing.
I don’t consider myself a modern-day prohibitionist, but I think these practical reasons for keeping the skies alcohol-free make sense.
Why not wait until you’re home to crack open a bottle? It could make your next flight a better one — if not save your life.
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{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
LCD! I refuse to live my life by the lowest common denominator and have enough problems keeping the government from making stupid laws like this. We certainly don’t need one of the leading travel people getting on his high horse and trying to ban alcohol because a few louts can’t act responsibly. How about all the people with body odor or those that reek of bad perfume or with flatulence? What’s next? This is a stupid idea that you of all people should be smart enough to not promote.
Is alcohol served to passengers in the emergency exit rows? This seems like a dangerous prospect. Everyone needs to keep their wits about them in the event of an emergency.
I do think the alcohol is a revenue generator for the airlines. I wonder if you polled flight attendants, would they think it’s worth the hassle?
Sorry Chris, I have to disagree with you on this one. I’ll take it point by point:
1. I actually find that a glass of wine helps calm me down (and helps me sleep on a longer flight). I would much rather have a glass of red than take a pill to help me sleep. I wake up refreshed without the lingering grogginess of a sleeping medication.
2. This point could be used to scream for the ban of caffeinated beverages (as you point out), children, or any one of a dozen obnoxious behaviors.
3. This is an issue of over-consumption, which I believe flight attendants have control over. FA shouldn’t be handing out drinks like they are bartenders.
4. Once again, punishing a majority due to the irresponsibility of a minority.
5. I don’t. Also, I fail to see how that woman’s story is embarrassing, unless you’re leaving something out, or unless you consider the very act of drinking embarrassing.
6. Sorry Chris, I sympathize with recovering alcoholics, but they are 100% responsible for their own actions. I recently went a wedding where bride had been through AA but they had an open bar. When I asked her why she said “it doesn’t matter, because I’m drinking diet coke.” If someone in therapy needs help or a plan to get through a flight…well that’s exactly what the point of therapy is.
7. Taxi.
Chris, I’m sorry but you do sound like a modern day prohibitionist. I’ve never run across an obnoxious drunk on a flight (including ones in an out of Vegas), so I have a hard time believing this is as much as an issue as you proclaim. I personally enjoy my ritual of 2 glass of wine on transatlantic flights, and would be pissed if I couldn’t get them.
I think limitations on the number of drinks served is appropriate, if only for safety reasons. Imagine trying to exit the plane during an emergency evacuation, with a nearby passenger who is inebriated.
As for the comment about removing passengers for body odor… I saw it happen on a flight prior to takeoff, two passengers who reeked so much that it was intolerable to be near them.
E
Personnally, I don’t think another law can do anything about rogue behaviors. Luckyly, I never encounter bad alcohol related incident by sticking to Business and First Class. Usually, I don’t drink cheap alcolhol but really enjoy the nice champagne, wine and cognac served on Business and First Class. It’s an occasion to discover new exquisite wine or other alcohols like Sake on All Nippon Airways (a choice of 5 kinds of Sake). Business and First Class cannot be a product itself without Champagne and fine Cognac.
It should be noted that in Europe, a glass of wine with the meal (and yes, many European airlines still serve meals even on domestic flights) is culturally ingrained. I have flown extensively within Europe and have never seen anyone intoxicated as a result of the glass of wine they were served during flight.
IMHO, both Lianne and Dang come much closer to reality than Chris on this question.
Come on Mr Elliott,
I have to say I think you’re off base here. Just because it is your personal opinion others should not drink, does not mean it should become the standard. There’s a difference in not smoking on a plane and not drinking. Smoking is not only a fire hazard at 20,000 feet, but the confines of a small space amplify the smoke. Those with breathing problems are affected. In the case of alcohol, so long as you are not rude,belligerent, or out of hand, I say drink away. It can make a LONG flight a little less stressful or help relax the annoyances around you. Crying baby anyone? Sure, alcohol is not a life of death matter. I myself don’t drink often. However, I did enjoy a few bottles of vodka on my return flight home this past September. Far from usual for me, as I rarely indulge, but hey, it was one of those days!
My 2 cents.
P.S. The alcoholic argument is a loss leader. What stops an alcoholic from going to the store and buying a few too many cases? Better yet, what about the alcoholic who goes to the bar, then a friends, then buys some at the store? Unfortunately, you cannot control people’s actions. It’s called personal responsibility. While their choices do endanger us all, and should be SEVERELY punished, responsible individuals should not pay the price. Those who are likely to drink in the air, will hop off the plane and get hammered in the airport lobby. Same difference.
Justin
Julie’s point about no alcohol for those in the emergency exits is valid. I wonder if there are rules that prohibit alcohol from being served to those in those rows. Anyone know?
And Lianne while I appreciate your points, and even somewhat agree with a few, I am surprised you’ve never experienced an obnoxious drunk on a plane. I almost always upgrade and esp. in First or Busn., the number of drunks – and obnoxious ones at that – is remarkable.
I wonder if it will take a few more horrific incidents in the air OR someone who has been overserved on a plane and drives after landing and injures or kills someone to change the way alcohol is allowed on planes.
Ban it,or at least, make a 2 drink per flight limit, and if your unruly, after landing its straight to jail.
Unruly, drunk on a plane? Two words: Duct Tape.
As for point #7, if a bar serves someone to the point of inebriation, and then that person kills someone with their car, in many states, the owner of the bar can be held liable. I fail to see how the fact that the bar has wings, somehow changes things. A two-drink limit seems like a reasonable idea to me.
@ Joan
I only fly Business or First class 1-2 times a year, so I can see where its probably a bit more of an issue where the booze is free flowing. Or I fully admit its possible that I’m just lucky. :)
I like the idea of one drink, served with food. Wine or beer only.
As for most things, moderation is the key. The real issue is getting passengers to use moderation in all things – a moderate amount of carry on luggage, a moderate tone of voice, a moderate number of drinks, a moderate number of times to bump the seat back – then we could all have a very pleasant flight.
Ever notice that the abbreviation for “passengers” is “pax”. Pax is Latin for peace. If only it were the reality, we would all be so happy and peaceful!
Just this Saturday (14 November 2009) my flight from Heathrow to Los Angeles had to be diverted to Calgary so that an unruly, drunken passenger could be taken off the flight. AA #137, flightstats:
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAL137/history/20091114/1133Z/EGLL/KLAX
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/AAL137/history/20091114/2114Z/CYYC/KLAX
The drunk somehow managed to get an unopened, full-sized bottle of whisky on the plane (duty free? or else a serious security lapse) and proceeded to down the entire bottle before take-off.
The bad behavior kicked in almost immediately. During take-off, she repeatedly got out of her seat and stood up, forcing the FAs to remind the entire plane of the importance of staying seated.
Once in the air, she started to act like an even worse fool. Luckily for me, I was up-front, and she was in Coach. But she made her way up to business, and at one point, the FAs had to lock her in the lav. She then moaned and cried, waking up anyone who had fallen asleep. She begged to be released, promised to behave, and the lav door was opened to let her out. Whereupon she fell down, bumped her head, and began to accuse the helpful FAs of hurting her. She struck at least one of them, and was locked again in the lav for safety.
Again, she moaned and begged for release, promising to behave. From what I heard, she finally passed out and was carried back to her seat and “taped” to it…the on-board handcuffs were not used because she was almost 70 years old. Somehow she got free of the tape and was able to perform her coup de grace – a striptease.
Yes. A drunk grandma stripping in-flight. That’s when the captain told us we were diverting to Canada.
While this is something I can now laugh at, it was not at all funny for the FAs, the passengers having to directly deal with the drunken grandma, nor for that matter anyone who was traveling on a tight schedule. I commend AA for getting us to LAX only an hour late; the entire crew did a commendable job of dealing with this crazy situation, imho. Lucky for them it was a grandma and not a weight-lifter they had to subdue and control.
The larger point, however, is that even if a ban on alcohol is implemented, people who want to booze it up will find some way to get booze wherever they are – at the beach, in school, at work, and yes, even on a plane. Certainly service and amount of booze can be limited by the FAs, but people are tenacious and creative and will find some way to get what they want…
Altho it is true, an outright ban would go a long way towards solving the problem, I remain a strong supporter of personal responsibility for one’s actions. If you drink, make sure you can handle yourself. If you fail to do so, you are then personally liable for whatever problems you cause.
Yes, drunken grandma, that means: you owe AA substantial costs for excess fuel and all sorts of other costs incurred due to your drinking. Additionally, I’m sure some our fellow passengers from Saturday’s flight can demonstrate the real, out-of-pocket costs they had to bear due to your drinking; I’m open to charging you a flat amount to each passenger for every hour you made us late, as long as the actual passengers get that money. Finally, after a single incident of this unacceptable behavior, you should be banned from flying for 3 years, if not longer.
When these types of appropriate cost-shifting and punishments were in place, folks might think a second time about the amount they are drinking.
FYI: After getting off the airplane Dana Papst stopped at a convenience store, purchased and largely consumed a 6 pack, before killing the family on the road near Santa Fe. So you could debate for years (and people have here in New Mexico) whether the airline, the convenience store, or Mr. Papst himself was to blame.
In order for a ban on in-flight alcohol to have any effect, all the bars/restaurants in airports would also have to go dry. This is not likely to happen to any great extent.
All of these “reasons” are reasons why they should enforce the policy of not serving drunks, not a reason to not serve alcohol at all.
I’ve always found it surprising that alcohol is served on planes at all. I generally avoid it because it makes me feel rough upon landing, especially after an overnight flight from the U.S. to Europe. If it was outlawed, I wouldn’t particularly miss it. That said, is there really any science behind the statement “Higher altitudes do amplify the affect of alcohol”? How, exactly, does this happen? I remember when I was a teenage idiot my friends believed that if you drank beer with a straw you would get drunker. It seemed to make sense at the time, but there’s really no basis for it to be true. So how would imbibing in a pressurized cabin make any noticeable difference? My inner fact checker would like to see the medical study behind that statement.
It is up to individuals to be responsible for their own actions and those who are shouldn’t be punished becasuse others can’t be responsible. When I’m flying for a vacation, I see no problem with stopping for a drink in the airport before I get on the plane. However, I just have one, not ten. For a lot of people, that one drink may calm their nerves if they are a nervous flier, making it a more pleasant experience.
I have nothing against FAs serving 1-2 drinks per legal passenger per flight, but as others have commented, there can be difficulties in regulating actual consumption. Unfortunately not everybody is honest.
@ those who question how alcohol affects the body on a plane:
Everyone reacts differently, but the greater dehydration due to low humidity cabin air can cause the effects of alcohol consumption to be greater than usual – less water in the body causes a higher alcohol concentration. Other effects of cabin pressurization (hypoxia, altitude sickness) can cause some people to react or feel as if they have been imbibing alcohol. There hasn’t been a lot of science on it for a while, but the thought is there may be a slight additive effect. And the rest of it may be psychological, since “everyone knows it happens.”
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