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Original poster

Can someone explain 5am airport drinking?

409 replies

Prenoden · 04/09/2025 06:52

I'm not asking this as a kill joy or teetotaler, I enjoy a drink on holiday as much as anyone but how are people able to stomach pints at 5am?

Been on holiday recently and could barely eat before flight yet everyone else had pints/ g&t etc. It wasn't even mid morning it was 5am

OP posts:
Bjorkdidit · 05/09/2025 07:45

Well if we're looking at it that way, airports themselves are pointless. No-one needs to fly anywhere. We can all stay at home or travel by land/sea. Goods can also be moved by land/sea and we'll just have to wait longer.

IGaveSoManySigns · 05/09/2025 07:43

notimagain · 05/09/2025 07:34

I look forward to you telling that to, say, an Auzzie at LHR who had just stepped off a direct flight from Aus and is having a drink with what to them is their evening meal while waiting for their connecting flight.

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I think alcohol should be banned from airports full stop. It’s pointless. Stepping off a flight at 5am doesn’t magically make it 5pm.

notimagain · 05/09/2025 07:34

IGaveSoManySigns · 05/09/2025 06:36

Drinking at 5am is needless, no matter how you try to dress it up.

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I look forward to you telling that to, say, an Auzzie at LHR who had just stepped off a direct flight from Aus and is having a drink with what to them is their evening meal while waiting for their connecting flight.

xSideshowAuntSallyXx · 05/09/2025 06:57

Airports have their own time zones. Acceptable times are irrelevant at the airport.

When I go for an early morning flight I've likely been awake all night or since 2am. So have many others. It's therefore only 5am on paper not to my body.

I'd rather have breakfast with coke mind you than a beer. The caffeine keeps me awake long enough to get on the plane. Beer would send me to sleep or make me need a pee!

ThatBlackCat · 05/09/2025 06:47

IGaveSoManySigns · 05/09/2025 06:36

Drinking at 5am is needless, no matter how you try to dress it up.

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A lot of things are 'needless'; tv, computers, sweets. Drinking at 6pm is 'needless' to. What's your point?

5am is just a time marker on a clock. That's all. The world, the atmosphere and life is the same, no matter what a clock says. And it's not 5am everywhere in the world at the same time.

IGaveSoManySigns · 05/09/2025 06:36

Bjorkdidit · 05/09/2025 05:30

Of course people getting smashed at the airport at 5 am exist.

But not everyone having 'a drink' at that time is part of a rowdy group having several to prepare themselves for disrupting the flight or getting loudly pissed by the pool all week.

DP and I do drink a lot when on holiday. But we're never drunk or loud and we spend hours swimming and walk several miles every day. Plus read multiple books during the week.

Mumsnet is very keen on not making assumptions about people based on seeing a snapshot of them. The people who assume that anyone enjoying an alcoholic drink to mark the start of their holiday has a drink problem might like to remember that.

Drinking at 5am is needless, no matter how you try to dress it up.

Bjorkdidit · 05/09/2025 05:30

Of course people getting smashed at the airport at 5 am exist.

But not everyone having 'a drink' at that time is part of a rowdy group having several to prepare themselves for disrupting the flight or getting loudly pissed by the pool all week.

DP and I do drink a lot when on holiday. But we're never drunk or loud and we spend hours swimming and walk several miles every day. Plus read multiple books during the week.

Mumsnet is very keen on not making assumptions about people based on seeing a snapshot of them. The people who assume that anyone enjoying an alcoholic drink to mark the start of their holiday has a drink problem might like to remember that.

5128gap · 04/09/2025 22:30

Wildfairy · 04/09/2025 19:14

It’s really not, this post made my nose wrinkle. I’m happy to have an early morning mimosa when I’m at the airport with a light breakfast, nothing performative about it, and I’m not a lad either. My husband or male friends, if holidaying with friends may have a pint, we are all in our early fifties.so they are not lads either. It’s only performative if yours sitting watching and treating it as one, so don’t look. As most people don’t like to be watched.

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Just because you and your husband are not the type of people I'm describing doesn't mean they don't exist. You really don't have to look hard to see (and hear) groups like this. They can be hard to miss.

Lanzarotelady · 04/09/2025 20:12

Just reminded me to book the airport lounge before my trip to JFK! 3 hours at Manchester airport - may as well make the most of it and give the pearl clutchers something to clutch at

Lovetheants · 04/09/2025 19:29

This thread is hilarious! All the "I couldn't believe my eyes the last time I flew in the morning, alllll the people consuming alcohol"

Strikes me that more folk do, than don't. And like many pp have said, it's the start of the holiday, they've been up for hours, it relaxes them before the flight..

I've been known to partake. Sometimes I just have a coffee. I don't judge anyone if they're not disturbing others and neither should anyone else!

Would like to know how many of the posters saying "I could never" enjoy a breakfast mimosa on Christmas Day?

Wildfairy · 04/09/2025 19:14

5128gap · 04/09/2025 18:16

Its partly performative. Our culture associates lots of alcohol with being a cool fun person. Bonus points if it's at an inappropriate time. Its a lads lads, I'm mad me! type thing.

It’s really not, this post made my nose wrinkle. I’m happy to have an early morning mimosa when I’m at the airport with a light breakfast, nothing performative about it, and I’m not a lad either. My husband or male friends, if holidaying with friends may have a pint, we are all in our early fifties.so they are not lads either. It’s only performative if yours sitting watching and treating it as one, so don’t look. As most people don’t like to be watched.

Charabanc · 04/09/2025 19:12

Outside time does not exist in airports. Once you enter the airport, you are in a time zone where anything goes.

Sunshineandgrapefruit · 04/09/2025 19:10

I have done it on transfers. Sat in the Irish bar in Dubai.

aspidernamedfluffy · 04/09/2025 19:04

Megifer · 04/09/2025 19:00

That's horrific. Red wine doesn't go with a full breakfast it should have been a lager.

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Does an espresso martini count as a coffee with breakfast...asking for a friend.

Lanzarotelady · 04/09/2025 19:03

Megifer · 04/09/2025 19:00

That's horrific. Red wine doesn't go with a full breakfast it should have been a lager.

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I feel quite ill just thinking about it.

Megifer · 04/09/2025 19:00

Kelvinator1 · 04/09/2025 18:21

The worst example I've seen of this was someone with a full cooked breakfast and a glass of red wine at 6am.

That's horrific. Red wine doesn't go with a full breakfast it should have been a lager.

Lanzarotelady · 04/09/2025 18:57

Kelvinator1 · 04/09/2025 18:21

The worst example I've seen of this was someone with a full cooked breakfast and a glass of red wine at 6am.

Red wine and a full English - the heathen!

Lanzarotelady · 04/09/2025 18:55

GiveDogBone · 04/09/2025 17:43

To be fair they’re probably thirsty after all the hard work they’ve done painting roundabouts and putting up flags.

Never painted a roundabout in my life, nor have I put up a flag, do you normally jump to such massive conclusions?

Catpolitics · 04/09/2025 18:47

It’s fun 🤩

cramptramp · 04/09/2025 18:46

I can eat any food at any time. Why would alcohol be any different?

cramptramp · 04/09/2025 18:45

It’s really easy.

Kelvinator1 · 04/09/2025 18:21

The worst example I've seen of this was someone with a full cooked breakfast and a glass of red wine at 6am.

lobsterkiller · 04/09/2025 18:18

I rarely drink, ut even I had one at 5am at the airport. I only had one on holiday but 5am pint before boarding. yeah. OP, you're correct it's weird but for some reason normal rules go out of the window.

5128gap · 04/09/2025 18:16

Its partly performative. Our culture associates lots of alcohol with being a cool fun person. Bonus points if it's at an inappropriate time. Its a lads lads, I'm mad me! type thing.

Animatic · 04/09/2025 18:12

IGaveSoManySigns · 04/09/2025 17:19

Not being funny but the alcohol will make it worse

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Oh, I absolutely agree. I wouldn't drink until landed but I can see why people drink at 5am .