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 🤔

frequent flier here. When you buy alcohol in duty free you must use your boarding card, which is then entered to your flight what you bought, and if checked (only 2x ever for us happened, but it can) You must have your duty free bottles WITH the duty free seals on them at arrival immigration counters. How do they know if you drank it in the airport, or on the plane (totally illegal ) I flew in September and was not checked , and I fly again in Feb from my home to Canada, I will stump up for a glass of overpriced pinot at the airport if I want a drink, but chances are I will cheap out and just eat my packed from home meal and fill my insulated bottle from the water fountain in airport .

Are you not allowed to do this?? I have fond memories of drinking pimms at 8 in the morning out of nero cups with my friend in T3 before flying to New York …. Less fond memories of the flight

I see no problem with thst

you might get caught though. That’s the only thing.

I don’t think it’s worth the risk. But that’s my opinion.

Already doing this!

For someone who is using a being at an airport as a reason to drink and talking about cheating the system to get tanked up you are very prissy about what time it happens.

Did you specifically choose 9pm so you could have a few?

Presumably you’ve packed your Tupperware so you can sneak out breakfast pastries, rolls and cheese to avoid buying lunch’s on holiday too 🤣

Sorry being a big mean but I think what you’re suggesting gives me these penny pinching cringe vibes of people who save money at the expense of others (even it is as minor as getting free water and glasses from the bar to chug your shop bought wine).

I'm with you OP- would never pay airport prices for a drink, but it is nice to have a glass of wine before a flight. Here's what I would do: bring empty juice bottles with screw tops; buy a bottle of wine in duty free; take it to the bathroom; decant it into the empty bottles; enjoy wine wherever you like in the airport, avoiding overpriced restaurants; donate all my extra cash to WaterAid, so everyone can have a drink!

Won't it be warm, sounds a bit grim

They won’t be able to do that much longet

i was an engineer and they’ve got this incredible machine which no one is allowed to know how it works.

it works out the liquid in the bottles are what they say they are. Now me and my actual engineer buddies including chemical engineers can’t work out how they’ve done it but it’s insanely clever!

What a nasty thing to say when you know nothing about me. You should have a word with yourself. I don't need to justify my flight time choice.

Some people can only afford a holiday by penny pinching.

So, you'll be sitting on the long bench seats with wine in a duty free bag in your rucksack and you're proposing to get two glasses from the bar then keep topping them up from the wine in your bag? (Just so I'm picturing the scene.) I doubt very much anyone 'in authority' is going to notice as the only staff who are round those areas are occasionally cleaners who probably wouldn't care. Other passengers would probably notice though and be hoping you'd not be on their flight.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with you query OP. I agree, airport prices are extortionate! How about taking some of those vodka miniatures, buy a bottle of Coke from WHSmith and pour it into one of those?

Do you not understand that people go to the airport , get through security and think how can I kill an hour look around and either decide to eat , drink or sit and entertain themselves . They are not people who have sat at home a week before setting off and planned what to drink and how much they want to pay . If you don’t want to pay the price in the bar , like all the normal people , then don’t drink .

Yes. Just passing the info along to anyone in the thread. Doesn’t seem to be well know ?

I was just pointing out there wouldn’t be fridges. No need to be so rude

They have new machines which are insane. You won’t be able to do this much longer.

Logged into my ancient mumsnet account to say WOWZERS judgey much?

And to stand up for OP because I am totally the same, I don't want to spent my hard earned cash on £10 glasses of wine (whoever above said this seems reasonable is living a totally dofferent life to me) when I've booked a holiday destination specifically for the cheap wine.

The amount of nasty, stuck-up, sideways little comments on this thread makes me sick, honestly - if you out here judging another woman for trying to save a little money and enjoy the start of her holiday with her family maybe you should take a look at yourself first.

What is rude about what I said?

Absolutely would not do this. Massive cringe.

It was a little defensive I must admit.

you didn’t reply to me. I’m a different person than who you replied too

I'm sure you wont be the first or the last to do this. Part of me thinks it would be a bit miserable and cheap, the other half of me thinks I'd probaly have done this as a student and that it sounds sort of charming. You do you.

There’s no restriction on alcohol being in your carry on and going through security as long as it’s less than 100ml.

I wouldn't get wine glasses from the bar. You'd be less discrete with a take away coffee cup tbh.
Nothing wrong with not wanted to pay a tenner for a glass of wine at all. Half those giving you grief are probably already after necking a bottle , gives them Dutch courage to have a go at people here

Thank you. I wasn't asking if it was all right if I drank a bottle of vodka on a bench in the airport from a brown bag. Anyway, ppl can keep their nasty opinions.