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 🤔

I could not be assed with taking my own bottle of wine to drink discreetly before a flight. Thats not relaxing at all. It’s not Heathrow that’s penny pinching, it’s you. If you want a drink, get one from the bar and pay.

Personally I don't think £10 is bad for a glass of wine 🤷🏻‍♀️not really the point I know. I just factor airport costs into the holiday. Couldn't be arsed faffing about with paper cups just to save a pound or two

OP, being ripped off at the airport is part of the experience and should be factored into the cost if you are planning to eat and drink there.

Otherwise, sneaking around nabbing empty glasses and trying to hide warm wine sounds exhausting and a bit grim. I would embarrass my teens if I carried on like that. Pay for the overpriced wine and pringles and relax.

No because we will be leaving before what I class at an acceptable time to have an alcoholic drink (after 6pm).

Enjoying a pre flight drink in a bar or restaurant is fine. Planning ahead to buy duty free and get the kids to acquire you some glasses from the bar to save a tenner is just a bit sad IMO.

A relative puts vodka in little reusable toiletry bottles for the flight of you want a new level of crap!

😂 I presume that's not the only reason you think your autistic?! We don't need to know that you think you're autistic, it won't impact on people's opinions on smuggling alcohol into an airport!

I somehow paid 40 quid for two gin and tonics on my last flight through LHR.

The service was shit, 20 minutes wait for a drink after ordering and when a waiter eventually turned with our drinks he wanted a tip.

i am not exactly a thimble full of sherry at Christmas sort. I love wine. But the joy in a nice glass of wine at the airport is sitting somewhere comfortable, drinking it from an actual glass (rather than an empty plastic water bottle as a pp suggested) and reading my guide book/talking excitedly about the holiday I’m going on/or just enjoying ‘down time’ to relax. Sneakily trying to drink it in the way you are suggesting would remove the actual pleasure from the glass of wine, rendering it utterly pointless.

Save up a tenner from now till flight for a drink.

I wasn't planning on smuggling anything into the airport! I said 'buying it in the duty free'.

I've solved this problem by having two savings pots - one for holiday spends and one for airport spends.

Because I've actually saved up for food/drinks at the airport, I don't feel so 'hard done by' and it's not coming out of my holiday spending budget.

Try it, it's liberating 😁

I think that would be hugely stressful! I'd just budget a bit more ahead of the holiday so you can splurge on a few glasses.

Practically, you'll have to buy the wine at Duty Free and hope that they have screw top wine there, as you won't be able to get a corkscrew through security. If there isn't any, your plan won't work!

Most people don't want to pay £10 for a glass of wine, and therefore they just don't buy it. They don't try to figure out how they can game the system because they can cope without it.

Also higher costs for alcohol before boarding planes is a good thing. I don't see anyone starting fights on planes or abusing staff because they've had too much water or too many Pringles.

Just get a paper round and save some.pennies before your holiday.

I imagine if you drink half a bottle of wine you might not get on the flight.

I admit I have quite a low threshold for second hand embarrassment, but this is absolutely cringe worthy. Also, if you can’t afford to drink out, how on earth are you paying for a holiday?

This is tacky as hell. Do you have a drinking problem? Sounds like it tbh. If I saw someone doing this I would report it, not least because your weird secret squirrel behaviour huddling around a bottle like tramps by the river would be a red flag in an airport. If you can’t afford a class of wine, don’t have one, and reassess your life

Give up.alcohol.
You won't need to stress then.

I am absolutely terrified of flying, so I completely understand the desire to have a drink before getting on the plane (I might be too scared to do so if they made me do it without!) I certainly do not want to resort to prescription drugs so I’ll happily avail myself of the legal, socially acceptable methods of removing anxiety, just like the OP.

That said, no, I would never buy something in duty free and then drink it secretly. It would be stressful, shameful and unenjoyable, quite apart from possibly illegal. Get a day lounge pass, arrive a couple of hours earlier than you need to, have some “free” food and drink, relax - consider the cost part of the holiday, and it would certainly be better than a quick grabbed drink at a crazy busy Wetherspoons.

I mean I don’t drink. So this thread blows my mind they someone is so desperate to drink before the flight.

but the lounge is only £150 roughly?

Also note this OP as knowing someone who works at Heathrow.
They are always monitoring you with cameras as soon as you are at the airport.
Especially in the departure lounge.
There is NOWAY you will go unnoticed.

Just putting g it out there…

my mate lives near Gatwick and puts his drive out much cheaper….

worth doing people. Loads of people near the airport do this

This! And if it's white it'll be warm. I'm not anti your idea, each to their own, but not sure if reality it'll be very enjoyable. Probably new to just suck up the cost of airport wine! Last time I travelled I had wine before the flight and it wasn't horrendously expensive.

Where do you buy a £2 glass of cats piss wine from?