Don't have One Too Many or Admit being Drunk...

[V Singh]

With free booze available @ various Lounges, its easy to have one too many pre-boarding drinks. What has been your experience on this front?

 

[Max Samuels]

Refusing "drunk" passengers in the lounge or on board is just another excuse not to provide customer service, in my opinion. Another way for the "meek" to wield power over others.... I would really love to see the data that supports all this out-of-control RSA rubbish on planes... was there ever a time where passengers were so drunk and rowdy on a regular basis that crew and other passengers were in danger? I doubt it. It seems to me that the more the nanny state tries to impose her will, the more the people resist. Is the "bad" behaviour of young people we apparently see these days a result of the all the rules that are being piled upon them? Which came first, chicken or the egg?

Anyway, I love getting drunk on planes and in lounges. If I am behaving, and keeping to myself, I expect to continue to be served. This is only a problem in Australia, I have noticed. US Airlines don't care how much you drink. Asian ones don't either.

 

[BethCarr1]

I was flying Cathay NY to HK was in the lounge around 11pm and watched a fellow consume copious amounts of Rum andwhen I boarded my flight found him sitting opposite me in J. He continued consuming until he fell asleep snoring his head off! I can tidy a few off but man could he drink. He was a very large Russian! They never stopped him!

 

[Max Samuels]

They gave him what I assume was sleeping tablets and he passed out soon after take off...

Wow - that is a very bold airline to drug a passenger with prescription medication! What would have happened if he was allergic???

 

[Max Samuels]

I've experienced the opposite on a JQ flight OOL MEL where the people sitting in the exit row on one side were so obviously drunk. The silly acting young FA thought it a great joke. I mentioned it to the cabin manager (?) while waiting for the loo. She just shrugged her shoulders. So I made a complaint to CASA who responded immediately and with a follow up that the crew were undergoing retraining.

Ridiculous. If it were an actual requirement to be sober to open a door, then they would not serve booze to anyone in that seat for the duration of the flight - ever. And as everyone knows, that just isn't a thing. It wasn't too long ago that there wasn't even a briefing for those sat at an exit. But I suppose those were days when people were smarter and didn't need to be wrapped up in cotton wool. Once again - show me the data! Show me the evidence that xx people died in crashes where the pax sat at the over-wing exits didn't know how to operate them, or were too drunk to operate them... the EK business class bar is located smack-bang in between TWO exits!! Oh the irony!

 

[Max Samuels]

Years ago (10+) I flew a lot of regional SQ between Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand etc. As anyone that has flown those routes knows, the AUD cost of F is comparable to an expensive Red-e deal on QF between BNE and MEL, for example. Even though Y on those SQ flights was always around the $100 mark, F could be purchased for about $300-$600 - not enough for the bean counters in the Australian head office to notice. Anyway, they served Dom on those flights, and I always thought it a fun game to see if I could drink the airfare equivalent in Champagne.... considering what Dom retails for here in AU, it was never a very hard task to accomplish

 

[sydunipete]

was there ever a time where passengers were so drunk and rowdy on a regular basis that crew and other passengers were in danger?

Once I was flying QATAR from ARN-DOH in business class and two blokes on the other side of the cabin got into a punch up as we were taxiing for take off. They were strangers to each other and one was obviously drunk.

The cabin crew quickly settled them down and moved the less drunk one to a more distant seat once we were in the air.

 

[CanbJames]

I also received a slap on the wrist in the Qantas Club Perth during a delay when the server discovered that the whisky and coke + a whisky for my friend all afternoon long had been just for me all along.

In SYD I tried a double vodka and coke once but was denied that. Ordered two singles and received without question. Go figure. Funny rules. And a few two drinks for my friend has also been well received

 

[Max Samuels]

Once I was flying QATAR from ARN-DOH in business class and two blokes on the other side of the cabin got into a punch up as we were taxiing for take off. They were strangers to each other and one was obviously drunk.

The cabin crew quickly settled them down and moved the less drunk one to a more distant seat once we were in the air.

But does it point to systematic drunken and bad behaviour? Obviously there are always going to be tossers around but my beef with all of this is that as a society, especially here in the Nanny State, we seem to love punishing the many for the sins of the few.... take the draconian lock-out laws in Sydney (which they have just relaxed thank god) - they were nothing more than a political stunt that ruined Sydney's nightlife for tens of thousands of people.... so sad.

And let's not forget - one doesn't need alcohol to be violent and antisocial..... the people responsible for the 4 aircraft that were crashed in 9/11 were all sober.... in fact they didn't drink at all.

 

[JackMiles]

Refusing "drunk" passengers in the lounge or on board is just another excuse not to provide customer service, in my opinion. Another way for the "meek" to wield power over others.... I would really love to see the data that supports all this out-of-control RSA rubbish on planes... was there ever a time where passengers were so drunk and rowdy on a regular basis that crew and other passengers were in danger? I doubt it. It seems to me that the more the nanny state tries to impose her will, the more the people resist. Is the "bad" behaviour of young people we apparently see these days a result of the all the rules that are being piled upon them? Which came first, chicken or the egg?

Anyway, I love getting drunk on planes and in lounges. If I am behaving, and keeping to myself, I expect to continue to be served. This is only a problem in Australia, I have noticed. US Airlines don't care how much you drink. Asian ones don't either.

But does it point to systematic drunken and bad behaviour? Obviously there are always going to be tossers around but my beef with all of this is that as a society, especially here in the Nanny State, we seem to love punishing the many for the sins of the few.... take the draconian lock-out laws in Sydney (which they have just relaxed thank god) - they were nothing more than a political stunt that ruined Sydney's nightlife for tens of thousands of people.... so sad.

And let's not forget - one doesn't need alcohol to be violent and antisocial..... the people responsible for the 4 aircraft that were crashed in 9/11 were all sober.... in fact they didn't drink at all.

I would guess it is more around OHS / Workers Comp / Insurance premia / being sued by injured crew etc. Even though # of drunk pax who cause trouble (and are dangerous) is a tiny % of all drunk pax, they are a disproportionate % of all trouble-making pax. Hence, from a risk mitigation POV, it is easy (however arguably misguided) to suggest steps to reduce drunkenness. Statistically it might not stack up, but you're still in difficult territory about the cost of crew (or pax) injuries, especially if taking a broader view of cost than just monetary cost to the airline, versus the benefit of unrestricted drinking.
But yeah, I too very much enjoy getting a bit buzzed in lounges and planes, so fingers crossed there's not further tightening up on drinks service.

 

[Hvr]

Anyway, I love getting drunk on planes and in lounges. If I am behaving, and keeping to myself, I expect to continue to be served.

As someone who works in an industry where we have dedicated RSA personnel I hear this stuff all day and night. However, by getting drunk you're not behaving. By being served the location and the server are breaking the law and the location can be heavily fined and/or lose their licence.

At the extreme too many people think they're behaving by not vomiting or urinating in their seat. I've heard all the excuses and dealt with obviously drunk people who can't string two coherent words together.

Plus their actions do disturb and impede the comfort of others. If I have any doubts, I call the RSA personnel to my work location for an assessment. They decide if the person is staying or leaving. And if you're told it's time to leave no further conversation is entertained.

I will advise wait staff not to serve people I have concerns about until they've been assessed. While they mostly follow my instructions I did have one wait person disciplined for serving a clearly affected person who was later removed.

It's not just alcohol, drugs, both licit and illicit are cause for review.

The safety of all people, staff and customers is important. WH&S laws are there to protect me from drunken people and various serving laws to protect customers.

I'm old enough to remember the days when drink driving was a sport, not a crime, and drinking to excess was standard on days ending in a Y. And yes I did it as well. Thank goodness those days are gone.

It's not nanny state, it's sensible legislation to protect people from themselves and others in the vicinity.

If you drink to get drunk and need to continue drinking then maybe you have a problem?

 

[Max Samuels]

But yeah, I too very much enjoy getting a bit buzzed in lounges and planes, so fingers crossed there's not further tightening up on drinks service.

It would be due to "customer demand", of course......

Dear Customer:

Due to overwhelming feedback from you, our customers, we have made some changes to our in-flight product. We will no longer be serving alcohol, food or providing any form of entertainment. We will also no longer smile when we talk to you. This is all part of making a great airline!

 

[Max Samuels]

It's not nanny state, it's sensible legislation to protect people from themselves and others in the vicinity.

And I think that is where we just have to agree to disagree. It sounds to me that there are those who favour a world where every part of our lives is regulated by un-elected bureaucrats, at the request of nobody. I prefer a world where I am just left alone. People say that it is "for our own good", but they used to say that about many other things that were decided for us too.. things that as a society we look back on and say "man - how did we let the government do that????"

If people want to live in a dry commune and pass judgement on those who enjoy drinking, even if it is to "excess" by their definition - then they should move there. But they shouldn't impose those beliefs on myself and the many many many many other people that like to drink.

Also.. the RSA "qualification"??? What a joke. I have one of these too.... just a money making scam for the government and everyone that has a finger on that particular pie.

And it is all fake news too... no pub/bar/club/whatever could survive if everyone was "cut-off" as soon as there was "signs of drunkeness"...

I would love a bit of honesty in these discussions but I think as a society we are past that.

Finally - seems to only be a problem that affects Australia? USA, Europe, Asia... I have seen no laws nearly as draconian as ours.... so we are either the enlightened ones (doubtful), or we are hysterical and overreatcing (more likely)

 

[Cruiser Elite]

USA, Europe, Asia... I have seen no laws nearly as draconian as ours.... so we are either the enlightened ones (doubtful), or we are hysterical and overreatcing (more likely)

Remind me again of the legal drinking age in USA?

 

[sjk]

From the perspective of a former FA (or what is a CA in Japan):

Once you've identified yourself as that person who wants to do a whole bottle of bourbon in the lounge or drink beyond the point of inebriation onboard we've already worked out that you're 'special'. Quite frankly we have plenty else to worry about other than whether this is going to be the day when you don't get everything quite right and start causing problems. Given the way some people behave online, it's hard to accept it at face value when they claim 'But I'm a total gentleman onboard, even when having seven drinks in quick succession and even if I'm then cut off'.

Time and place.

 

[Beano]

Check out some Travel Trouble web pages. Flights have been delayed and diverted because of drunken PAX. Also a drunk passenger falling asleep intoxicated may be a hazard in an emergency. Some stories tell of passengers being off loaded for just doing that as soon as they sit down, particularly if seated in the aisle seet.

 

[Quickstatus]

Anyway, I love getting drunk on planes and in lounges. If I am behaving, and keeping to myself, I expect to continue to be served.

Problem is every drunk I have ever met says they have always been well behaved. How do you know whether you are or not?

 

[sjk]

Problem is every drunk I have ever met says they have always been well behaved. How do you know whether you are or not?

And think of the risk/reward equation from the perspective of the person serving you. If the only downside is that you're deprived (and perhaps only temporarily) of an eighth drink or whatever, is it really such a big deal?

 

[Quickstatus]

And think of the risk/reward equation from the perspective of the person serving you. If the only downside is that you're deprived (and perhaps only temporarily) of an eighth drink or whatever, is it really such a big deal?

It is if you are drunk. Which unfortunately is then the start of a lot of problems.
......
I would want to be amongst the first to evacuate a burning plane. The drunk might think the fire and smoke is no big deal and say can someone get me another bourbon.

 

[ozzguy]

We will no longer be serving alcohol, food or providing any form of entertainment. We will also no longer smile when we talk to you. This is all part of making a great airline!

This sounds like my experience on S7 Airlines a few years ago. Could have as much orange juice as you like.

 

[theblank]

Problem is every drunk I have ever met says they have always been well behaved. How do you know whether you are or not?

I am a perfectly behaved gentlemen when I am drunk, but when I am sober I am a quick witted smartarse.