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 🤔

Why?

What difference does it make to you? None at all.

Its not going affect you in any single way.

How horrible it must be to live inside such a nasty vindictive mind.

I’m very confused by the op , what’s paying for private breast cancer treatment got to do with paying for a glass of wine…… the NHS are very quick and totally free with breast cancer treatment and you get the same consultants, and they get you in quick , you just get posher treatment, a side cubical , a cuppa afterwards and a gown . I’ve had both private and nhs treatment . I’m also adhd so also have to research everything including holidays, So I do get the research bit. I’ve paid off my mortgage and am debt free too ……but I do like a full priced glass of decent plonk at the airport , sometimes even splash on a cocktail , it’s all part of the holiday .

I do it ALL the time. Just buy one of the smaller (375 ml) bottles that usually have a screw cap, so you don't need a corkscrew. Take a couple of paper cups from home. Another option is to get a couple of flasks that comply with requirements (less tan 100 ml or 3.3 oz.) and fill them up with whatever you want, then drink it wherever you want.

Then pay for your bloody wine and stop stressing about it. It's supposed to be a holiday! 🙄

And that's what makes you not classy - thinking class is all about having money in the bank...

I think people are being a bit ridiculous on here to be honest!

Duty free sells small bottles of wine with plastic wine glass lids. These are clearly designed to be bought & consumed in the airport. I've gone on trips with friends & we've had them.

I also agree that airport staff don't give a crap about who is drinking what. I think the OP could pick one of the bars & sit at a table near the edges (not in front of the bar) & pour her wine there & sit & enjoy it.

Its the airport not the Ritz!

I travel a LOT - anywhere between 6 - 12 times a year for work & pleasure & I see all sorts of behaviour.

Many many families having picnics in the departure seating areas & I very much doubt anyone would give a crap to see a couple sharing some wine.

As for all the people saying if you can't afford to buy overpriced food & drink in the airport then you can't afford the holiday. That's also bullshit! The £80 spent in the airport on some subpar food & over inflated cheap wine would go a long way towards a nice meal/ drinks on the destination depending on where the holiday is.

Why bother asking when you're only getting annoyed at the answers? Increasingly annoyed and bombastic, in fact. You must have known that many people were not going to agree with you. You MUST have known that. If you've read more than two posts on Mumsnet you will also know that people are not backward in coming forward with their views. So why put yourself in that position? Or were you just looking for an argument? Sneaking alcohol to drink in secret, no matter the reason or location is not a good look. The fact you can't, or won't, accept that is rather amusing, and definitely troll-like in behaviour....

Wow! Just act like an Adult and go with only 1 drink each or not at all! Just start the holiday with a drink on the plane!

I think Mumsnet is only a good place to come if you really don't give a fuck what other people think! If you are prone to insecurities due to judgmental ladies better to stay away (or at least not tell them about your life )

PS please carry on OP

Not specific to current conditions in Heathrow T4, but - generally yeah, you could open and drink a bottle of wine in departures, provided you had the bottle and a way to open it and glasses (I would bring your own disposables just in case). Who would try to stop you?

There will be take-away shops and restaurants offering single-serving beer and wine and people do sit at the gate and drink those along with their take-away meals, so drinking alcohol isn't prohibited. Your flight crew aren't going to care unless you seem drunk enough that they might have to deny you boarding, but it doesn't seem like you plan to drink anything like that much.

Just make sure that the current procedure at Heathrow T4 is to hand duty free alcohol purchases to the buyer - at some airports you're given a tamper-proof bag which you have to show when you board, and at some you aren't even given the bag, it's sent ahead to your flight and you receive it on landing.

Another option would be to bring the bottle from home and drink it pre-security, which wouldn't be an issue at all - but you might not find that as relaxing as you still have security to get through.

Sorry but I do judge you. It would never ever occur to me to sneak drinks when you are travelling with children .,think about the example you are setting
This is behaviour you want to model ?