The British Abroad

[MissKittyBeaudelais]

Now, before I get flamed, I KNOW this behaviour isn’t indicative of all Brits and travellers from other countries also make merry when travelling for fun, however....

I was on an early flight to Lisbon this morning. There were some men travelling for the football on Thursday and as were were boarding, they were behind us in the queue. They were ranging in ages.... mid 20’s to 50’s. The beer fumes were stifling. Singling and swearing. They were allowed on but were spoken to sternly by the cabin crew even before takeoff. It was a very long 2hr 55min flight 🙄

WHY are we like this? Last time we had a short break it was a load of pissed up girls on a weekend to Spain. We really are the embarrassment of Europe. Just my opinion.

There was a thread on here a while back about paying airlines extra to sit together. One poster commented that she was going away with some girl friends and hoped they’d be sitting together as to them, the party started on the plane with a few drinks. My heart sank for those poor unfortunates sitting around them. I have no idea why so many people feel the need to drink too much in order to have a good time and then inflict their cackling or boorish behaviour on the rest of us.

Maybe people need to be breathalyzed before boarding flights.

I'm not like that, neither are my family or friends. So there's no we about it. Some people behave horribly. Yes it's embarrassing but don't say it's all British people. Or the British in general.

@buildbuildings.

Racism and Hate crime has risen massively in England since Brexit.

It doesn't matter that you do not do it yourself. You live in a country where this happens, we all need to look at what is happening and that people are suffering

Why would you need to be breathalysed before boarding a plane? Are you suggesting no one should be over the drink drive limit? Why not?

Racism and Hate crime has risen massively in England since Brexit. It doesn't matter that you do not do it yourself. You live in a country where this happens, we all need to look at what is happening and that people are suffering

Oh come on. The Brits abroad have been a notorious, drunken and ignorant embarrassment for as long as I can remember.

That’s actually a really daft thing to say angel. We’re not even talking about people who are being racist

Wheat2Harvest

I disagree. People are more likely, yes, to board a short haul flight drunk because they're going to arrive sooner- the holiday has already started and will continue that day/ night.

It's nothing to do with 'class', in the traditional sense of the word. The upper class wouldn't be sitting in economy or may not even travel with a commercial airline. And, my god, you're lucky to have avoided the hoards of ex- public school groups on holiday. Drunken bad behaviour is very much class-wide, abroad and at home. It's not a new thing, and has actually become less prevalent since the demise of club 18-30.

Hell yes. Try being on a ski train or flight. Nightmare

Oh my gosh the ski train. I’d forgotten all about that hell. Never again.

Oh dear. Thick as mince some of you. I stated in my opening post that the Brits ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES and now have three pages from posters who feel I’m unreasonable BECAUSE Brits ARE NOT the only ones.

So why are you talking about them? People being drunk on planes is hardly news. You know you wanted to fling about the brits abroad stereotype, don’t be disingenuous

And I’ve traveled widely and on varying flights in terms of expense. Business and leisure.

I agree that drunk people should not be allowed on a flight - what the limit should be, I don't know. I have been on a plane with out of control drunken people (men) and it's scary. And why should airline staff have to deal with this additional hazard?

It's not just the men. I was on a flight from New York to Las Vegas with a British hen party of about 8 women. They had T shirts, the hen had the funny hat, etc. so no doubt about their nationality or purpose. They got so drunk on the flight that the flight attendant cut them off from any further alcohol service, at which point the hen called her a cunt and the rest of the party started booing and cursing.

This led to one of the flight officers coming out of the cabin and explaining to them that if there were any further disturbances or disrespect to the crew he would have the lot of them arrested on arrival for interfering with the operation of the crew. That settled them a bit.

It was not a great moment in British American relations.

When I go abroad, all I encounter are rude Russian people, who drink to massive excess, are rude and loud, push in at every opportunity and don’t queue for anything. They wear white high heels a lot and diamante, and take over large areas of the hotel even when the bars are shut.
They are the rudest nationality I have encountered and always drinking.
Or I could be generalising and being rude myself, but apparently it’s only ‘Brits abroad’ that are allowed that criticism...:

You can deny drink people boarding of the plane. Happens all the time. For some reason airlines often don’t though

I don't know how they can stop drunk people boarding a plane when the airport bars are RAMMED with people drinking before take off (I guess the airports make a lot of money from alcohol?)

Last flight I was on, I was in the airport at 4.30 in the morning, and the bars were ALREADY filled with people drinking alcohol. They clearly hadn't been drinking all night, so they must have rocked up in the airport to check in at around 3am - who the hell thinks that the early hours are a good time to start drinking?

Try being on a ferry with Celtic fans after the old firm derby, there was always bouncers and security walking around

They do all the time. Last year 2 Russians visiting my mother got refused boarding at Amsterdam for being pissed. They arrived a day later.

@PassTheCherry... my point is NOT that some are worse than others. I wasn’t looking for an opportunity to mud sling about British travellers but really.... what a total disgrace. S*faced by 9am and then being vile on the actual aircraft, once up in the air.

Maybe, you’re used to travelling/socialising with people like that. I’m just not.

So what is all the WE about in your opening post then?

WHY are we like this? Last time we had a short break it was a load of pissed up girls on a weekend to Spain. We really are the embarrassment of Europe. Just my opinion

And you’ve clearly travelled loads with pissed up louts, you’re the one who knows all about it 🤣 so your bitchy little comment has made you look a bit daft

One solution is making airport departure lounges alcohol free. I fly often and Stansted always seems epsecially bad - people boozing heavily at 7.00 am everytime I go there.

Actually I just had a fab idea!
Why not allow airlines to breathalyze passengers who appear drunk.
Refuse to blow - don’t fly.
The tests could have an adapted level - thus allowing a couple of beers (not a fail) but more and you don’t fly.

Would solve the issue of drunk passengers overnight.

They could add it to their terms and conditions

Would not filter out the simply obnoxious though

Maybe, you’re used to travelling/socialising with people like that. I’m just not

Would you like a tissue dear, you sound a little snotty.

Oh dear. Thick as mince some of you. I stated in my opening post that the Brits ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES and now have three pages from posters who feel I’m unreasonable BECAUSE Brits ARE NOT the only ones

Then what responses where you expecting when started a thread about Brits Abroad? Seriously, what would have been appropriate in your book? Other than people falling over themselves to agree with you of course. Because that's what you were expecting wasn't it?