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 🤔

Good lord! She would be lightweight if she couldn't get on the plane after 2 glasses of vino!

Having a drink at a bar is very different to sneaking it …
Most people who don’t want to pay the price just go without it… unless you’re an alcoholic of course which explains the need to sneak it rather than just go without

Best comment 👏🏼
Pre game before you head to the airport 😆
Typical brits aboard need for a drink 🙄

I don't get it. Why bother? Surely sitting in a bar with your glass of whatever is part of the fun and the start of the holiday. Just see it as the cost of the experience. Surreptitious slurps from a bottle is low class and teaching your kids bad habits.

Anything you buy in 'duty free' is free of duty (as far as it goes) because it is not being consumed in the UK, so you would need to consume it surreptitiously and dispose of the evidence.

I did it myself in my teenage years for the thrill of 'being bad'. The reason prices are extortionate airside in departures in any airport is that you are a captive audience with time to burn, so i 'sort of' get the appeal of 'penny pinching'.

Sadly nowadays I travel, I'm all about mainlining water to stay hydrated sigh

I agree with the poster who said you are under constant surveillance at airports. It isn't worth the risk. If caught you could be kicked off the flight.

There are two bars in our local airport. In April we were gong away & the bar we usually go into, (wine costs £11 per glass), was packed with no available tables so we went to the other bar. A glass of wine cost me £20.90! Never again will I ever drink there again.
If you're going to buy your own drink in Duty Free & drink in the airport then pack an empty drinks bottle in your hand luggage & fill it in the Loo area so you don't draw attention to yourself & get caught.

This!!

It’s unlikely the plods are scanning CCTV/walking around looking for people drinking, they have more important things to look for and I don’t think drinking alcoholic beverages in moderation before flight is in itself a reason to deny boarding (though I know some people would like it be so).

Worse case if the OP got caught and challenged by whoever a quick “sorry” would probably suffice.

I suspect that is wishful thinking. Airlines are on high alert for alcohol abuse these days after some nasty incidents. And if it is illegal to crack open the duty free in the departure lounge they will probably fine you or certainly your goods will be confiscated, which defeats the purpose.

😂😂😂😂😂 go and play with the other kill joys!

They couldn’t kick you off a flight for breaking a minor rule in departures. They could if you were drunk but op was talking about having a couple of glasses of wine not a bottle of vodka! A simple sorry and at worst having your wine confiscated would be the only punishment..

Suspect all you like but my opinion, right or wrong, is based on having worked in the industry and so knowing a bit of what is credible and what isn't.

The idea that suddenly everyone sat down in somewhere like LHR T4 is now suddenly subject to increased CCTV scrutiny to see what they are drinking is fanciful...

The onus remains on the gatestaff and the crew to stop anyone under the influence from boarding.

More worried that you’ll drink a bottle between you and be in charge of two kids for a flight

Sounds like a fantastic script idea for the next Benidorm Christmas special

A bottle between them is one and half 250ml glasses of wine by pub measures, its hardly going to have them rolling around in a drunken haze!

I’m the first to avoid paying inflated prices just because you’re a captive audience however if £10 a glass is the price for a large glass then I actually think that’s quite reasonable.
You suggest it’s 5 times the price but it clearly isn’t, anywhere ‘standard’ in the UK a large glass of wine is £7-10 just about, considering you will also be getting a table with softer seats and nicer atmosphere in a very busy pleace, I think it’s actually worth it. Personally I’d take food with me, buy a nice drink each and enjoy it as part of your holiday.

I find it very hard to believe that pennies are so tight it's not possible to budget through the year for an extra £20 for a couple of airport drinks but it is possible to budget for the holiday, possible parking or cab, insurance and maybe in resort tourist tax and of course spends.

To be fair most of us are in agreement that it's a nice way to start the holiday having one or maybe two before flying? No one's suggesting getting blotto

There are a few judgemental people on here ☹️ Take a couple of paper cups if you can’t afford the lounge or just don’t want to go in the lounge and enjoy your drink 😁

@tellmewhenthespaceshiplandscoz tbh I have a family member who is like this . Drinking starts in the car en route regardless of the godawful hour. Lies on the beach with a massive bottle of vodka which they neck all day. It's not my kind of holiday but many seem to be unable to do without booze as part of their everyday life.

Buy a bottle of duty free wine together with enough small bottles of coke or similar. Dispose of coke in airport bathroom & decant wine into coke bottles in cubicle. Swig the wine from the coke bottles while waiting for your plane 👍🏾

Classy

You’ve missed the point.
The OP can, by her own admission, afford one of her hols BECAUSE she is so careful about £200 there and then.

She has made the choice to have one more hols instead of bei g more liberal in her spending.
Her choice and I’m not sure why people are so judgemental about it. Not everyone can afford endless luxuries. And (at least according to MN), many people enjoy a glass or two of wine befute take off. Saying it’s ’part of the experience’….

As someone who has been a lightweight since I started to drink I can't think of anything worse than my early hangover kicking in just in time for landing