Can someone explain 5am airport drinking?

[Prenoden]

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

I certainly couldn't stomach alcohol at 5am! Even a coffee can be a challenge for me at that hour.

I can’t as I’m the same as you. Those who can are still drank at this time so you need to wait a bit until the evening 😉

For me, as a shift-worker (on thos particular topic, you probably don't want to know what I do!!!) your 5am could be my 5pm.
Even at home, sometimes I get in from work at 6am and pour myself a G&T!

Anxious flyer here. I use it to calm my nerves.

Very sad and grim. And rather pathetic. I always look at those people and hope they’re not on my flight.

I am a terribly anxious flyer and will neck a gin tin in the loos (I realise I sound like I have a problem here....) this works for me and I can manage the flight. I don't drink on flights btw as I don't like it....

The dr did give me valium but they have stopped that now.... meanies

It seems to be a tradition among OH and his friends. They have a Whatsapp group and everyone is expected to show their airport pint photos - the earlier the better.
Personally my stomach is in knots at the prospect of flying so all I can manage is a bottle of water.

I have no problem with anyone having a couple of drinks before flying.
Drunks however should not be allowed near a plane imo.

Not at an airport but I took my granddaughter out for breakfast at a very swish place for her 18th birthday and we hit the espresso martinis!

Its because you were talking rubbish and being unnecessarily rude.

i dont like to drink early in thw morning because i feel like crap when I arrive otherwise. The hangover kicks in

i am quite a big drinker but cant do it that early

I’m a bit confused by all the posters who think someone having a drink before a flight will be a) a nightmare on t(e flight or b) hungover at any point in transit.
You realise most people can have one, or even two, drinks without being drunk/visibly affected and without getting a hangover at all?
As for feeling sick, I find my motion sickness is eased by an alcoholic drink 🤷‍♀️
Haven't flown at stupid o’clock for a while, but I’d definitely consider whether I fancied a Prosecco or glass of wine if I happened to to do it again.

You've no idea what someone's travel arrangements have been prior to getting to the airport. Some people will have been up for the equivalent of a full day before they have their pint in the early hours of the morning, so by the time 5am comes around, it feels more like lunch / dinner time to them. Some will be waiting for a connecting flight having already flown from a different time zone. Some will be people who really do think 'Right, I'm on holiday and I'm having a drink because I can', which to be honest is equally valid.

I thought your username was the explanation!

I think it's a bit of novelty value. It's a place where you can break the rules and there's fun in that. It's a celebration marker. You won't be doing anything much for the next X hours so alcohol won't do any harm. Some people are scared and it calms the nerves. You are with friends so let's go and have a sit down and a drink as we've time to kill. I'm rarely in the mood personally and it's always so expensive, but it makes sense to me.

Fair point, but the people I’ve seen drinking at that time (and drinking several glasses) look prematurely aged and dog rough, so a bit more likely to cause problems on flights than your average “I’ll have one g&t to steady my nerves before take off” drinker.

Because some people associate holidays with being continuously pissed. You don't see anyone in the lounge waiting for the 06.25 to Frankfurt doing it. Not too hard to understand.

What a coincidence - I always look at the judgemental bores and hope they're not on my flight!

I wouldnt drink alcohol at the airport but once the drinks trolley comes round, I take advantage of the free drinks and food to start off the holiday 🥰

I hope the drinkers aren't keeping people waiting on the loo queues.

This is Mumsnet where people think you're an alcoholic if you have more than one glass of wine a week.

As you say, in reality the vast majority of people don't feel drunk, hungover or even sleepy after one or two drinks.

I also find it odd that so many people on Mumsnet just assume travel sickness is the norm. I've literally never been travel sick in my life, on any form of transport, and that includes long, rough sea crossings.

?!?!? Wow that's some leap to make!!! So nobody flying to Germany ever has a drink at the airport? Ok good to know 🤔

Up all night, still on the clock from the previous time zone, or being proactive in adjusting to the time at the final destination? A 5 AM pint doesn't appeal to me (perhaps a Bloody Mary, or a mimosa) but if you've come off a long flight and have time to kill before connecting, there may not be much open at 5AM and you're stuck indoors and don't really have much of a sense of local time at all.

But drinking heavily will dehydrate you, which is bad news if you're about to fly.

you might want to avoid all the places serving food and drinks in the City 😂

you'll faint when you see what corporate people are up to during the day, on client or team meet-ups

Nope. Thankfully my bladder has adjusted to me being a filthy alcoholic (AKA two glasses of prosecco) over the years so I can hold it in for hours 😃