Penny pinching at Heathrow

[SLeanne]

We are due to go away soon from Heathrow T4. OH and I like a couple of drinks before the flight (at 9pm). However, I was shocked last time that a glass of wine is over £10 a glass. If we are discreet, could we get away with buying a bottle in Duty Free and drinking it before the flight (and disposing of the empty bottle before boarding). I know it's not allowed but has anyone done it before and got away with it? Quite frankly I'm getting sick of having to spend C 100 quid for something to eat and a couple of drinks each (family of 4) and am looking at ways of cheating the system 🤔

No that’s not really what’s going on..

The retailers in the terminal charge as much as the market will stand because they need to cover the (very)high charges levied on them by the airport operators.

The airlines don’t really get a say in the pricing in the terminals.

The Wetherspoons wine is likely to be cheap and horrible though? Compared to a quality duty free bottle.

I agree they are so overpriced! Even a coffee is ridiculous in the airport. Buy a bottle and drink it

Yep. Encapsulated in one MN post.

That is more than 100ml and won't get through security, And there is no M&S at LHR (or LGW, Stansted or Luton) after Security

You going on enough foreign holidays to collect sufficient airmiles to pay for a free long haul flight, means that you have money. You’re being really stingy by not buying your drinks at the airport. Embarrassing.

No, they're not
(Wetherspoons aficionado here)

This post surely must be a joke?
If it isn't then I am pretty sure that duty free should not be opened until you reach your destination. The clue is in the name....you are not paying duty as it is not being consumed within the country.
Anyhow, don't think you could surreptitiously drink it as security cameras cover everywhere. You will probably find yourself pulled to one side by security.
Either pay to have a glass of wine in the bar or don't bother but don't embarrass yourself by trying to sneak wine.

It’s just so miserly. I’m all for being careful with money and shopping around for the best deal…… but this is just taking it too far, all to save a couple of quid.

Reminds me of my Mum who was the biggest penny pincher than ever lived and it was mortifying for us kids. We used to go to a pub as kids that had a free refills deal on cola. She would sneak the 4 glasses out in her handbag and then take us back every week to the same pub and pull the glasses out and get more free refills week after week. Until they realised what she was up to, threw us out and barred us. She wasn’t even poor - it’s just about being tight fisted and getting one over. When in reality it’s theft!

You can afford the holiday, you can afford the drinks if you must have them. If you get caught drinking your duty free purchase before travelling you'll probably have to pay the duty and have any that's left confiscated for breaking the regulations. You may also be fined. I don't see the point or the need, but you seem to want to circumvent the rules.

Jeez. People
are mean and so judgemental. OP, I really don’t think you needed anyone’s opinion on this. You do you.

I have no advice as I don’t get to go abroad often, but I just wanted say OP I hope you and your family have a lovely holiday. X

Hardly.

The people who cheat ruin it for everyone. They think they above the rest of us.

There's a reason for the amount drinks cost in the airport. Rents in the airport are high so bars need to charge to cover that.
If everyone did the same there would be no bars in business.

If everyone was free to chuck back duty free drinks in the airport there would be chaos. If the OP had said she was a 28 year old bloke planning this with his mates for a stag she would have been universally panned.

Sadly there are more and more individualistic people in society that are utterly selfish and only think of themselves. The OP is in the same category as queue jumpers, people who wont pay for their kids to sit with them in planes, vaccine refusers and the kind of selfish fucker that doesn't bother with headphones on public transport as far as I'm concerned.

Yes people have shamed and judged the OP and rightly so. She's doing something against the rules because it benefits her and she doesn't give a shit that people like her all play a part no matter how small in promoting antisocial behaviour and the ideal that a person can behave however they please.

The rules are there to protect us all and ensure society is as cohesive as it can be.
.

Hey, wait a minute...Are you filming a new series of Shameless?

I'm just curious to know why you're both so desperate for alcohol before your flight, is it fear of flying?

Take two empty water bottles with you, buy a bottle and go into the loo and fill up your water bottles, and enjoy. Airports are still ripping us off. Now that the new scanners are in, there is no reason that we couldn’t go back to taking any liquids (which was the plan) before the outlets in the airports kicked off about their loss of revenue.

Wow, so bloody judgemental! Why shouldn’t she have a couple of glasses of wine while waiting two hours or more for a flight? Especially as it’s an evening flight! Maybe she likes to start off her holiday on a relaxed note, I bet you’re fun to travel with!

OP could sit on the loo and neck it straight from the bottle, there wouldn’t be cameras there. That’s what a true Master of Wine would do!

I would book the lounge, look for offers

This really sums up how I feel, thank you @Scammersarescum. What the hell is wrong with people?!

I've booked a holiday destination specifically for the cheap wine.

If this is what you prioritise on holiday and how you choose destinations, I can see why you are in support of the OP!

I am very glad I don’t travel with people who equate ‘fun’ with drinking. We manage to enjoy ourselves and travel without inebriation. You should try it!

I don’t even drink alcohol but if someone else wants to do it, each to their own. It makes no difference to your life. OP was asking for advice, not anyone’s approval.

Absolutely tbh I think this OP must be joking us

If you read properly, I was responding to the poster who sarcastically said that people who don’t drink before flights must be ‘fun to travel with’. I was not speaking to the OP and stand by my response to that poster.