Skaye

I know it is "tacky" but the question arose during a discussion of paying for drinks on a transatlantic flight, is it actually against the law to bring your own flask, or something similar, on board a flight?

CarolA

Yes, it is against the FAA regulations which require that Flight Attendants control the booze and enforce things like laws against under age drinking.

Skaye

Figured it was that the FAA had a regulation.. just hadn't tied it to the flight attendants. Thanks.

AAFrequentFlyer

Technically the regulation says:

It's against FAA regulatiion to consume any alcoholic drinks that were not SERVED by the FAs.

I actually had a nice FA open and serve a wonderful bottle of wine that I brought on-board. FA on a different flight told me NO under any circumstances.

So as you could see, it's not written in stone, but I would not do it myself. YMMV.

PJKeay

Some of the "dry" middle eastern airline (and I think maybe Royal Brunei) are dry airlines. However several of them have a BYO policy to encourage western travellers

FainaAgain

would somebody stop you from drinking "coke" (red wine) from a coke bottle or "7-UP" (white wine) from a 7-UP bottle? This is what I do when in doubt

CarolA

If the Flight Attendant catches you she/he can cause problems. I have seen people do it, but I can't understand why. IT is only $4 for a drink! Q

soccr

People, people, airplanes are not meant to be flying bar-cars. Skaye, you may be completely responsible about your tippling, but the rules are in place for safety reasons, and people who assume they are the exception often end up proving the reason for the rule.

Meanwhile, what does YMMV stand for?

buckeyemom

Second what soccr said and I want to add that drinking at 35,000 ft. or whatever altitude a plane flies at hits you tiwce as hard as on sea level. And, if an emergency happened in flight your reaction time would be slowed down.

AAFrequentFlyer

soccr,

YMMV - your miles may vary (your experiences may vary), a frequent flyer thing. ;-)

Skaye

Honestly, I have never had beer with my cornflakes!! It was a question that arose when a group of us were chatting about FAA rules (we're all pilots) and rather than go to the 3" thick manual I took the lazy way and asked all of you. Going back to my other post about packing lunch.. we usually buy a bottle of wine and eat our own food. Eat the airline's salad and fruit (if there is any).. I think it was James Beard, years ago who suggested packing your own picnic for flights. A suggestion I have happily followed for many years.

anita

Do you usually drink the wine while flying the plane or riding as a pax? Sorry, couldn't resist!

buckeyemom

Sorry Skaye but in your original post you came across as someone one step away from AA, and I don't mean American Airlines. ;-)

Skaye

Buckeyemom: Sorry, but if I were really desperate for a drink I wouldn't be posting it for Fodorites to comment! I'd just be carrying and drinking. As a pilot (private, small plane) I know the rules. I do not know the "book" about commercial and evidently, from some of the comments there does not seem to be an actual "rule" just an unwritten law. It is always interesting to post and get feedback!! Thanks.

clevelandbrown

I think an FAA regulation is something more than an "unwritten law".

Sec. 121.575 - Alcoholic beverages.

(a) No person may drink any alcoholic beverage aboard an aircraft unless the certificate holder operating the aircraft has served that beverage to him.

(b) No certificate holder may serve any alcoholic beverage to any person aboard any of its aircraft who --

(1) Appears to be intoxicated;

(2) Is escorting a person or being escorted in accordance with 49 CFR 1544.221; or

(3) Has a deadly or dangerous weapon accessible to him while aboard the aircraft in accordance with 49 CFR 1544.219, 1544.221, or 1544.223.

(c) No certificate holder may allow any person to board any of its aircraft if that person appears to be intoxicated.

(d) Each certificate holder shall, within five days after the incident, report to the Administrator the refusal of any person to comply with paragraph (a) of this section, or of any disturbance caused by a person who appears to be intoxicated aboard any of its aircraft.

dwoodliff

A few years ago, a 2:20 p.m. flight I was on was delayed on the ground in Dallas for 5 1/2 hours during a monster rainstorm, after taxi-ing out to the tarmac. (I'm not exaggerating.) I guess there's some rule that the plane can't go back to the gate, unless there's an emergency. The couple sitting in front of me had a fifth of vodka in one of their carry-ons. Needless to say, some of the passengers were a lot less disgruntled than others when our flight finally took off at 7:50 p.m.

janeg

ClevelandBrown
Thanks for chapter & verse. I have been trying to run that one down for 2 years.

rdfarr

- It would seem that the airline lobby is the one who got the restriction on bringing your own alcohol on board. They would rather sell it to you.
- I have on occasion brought my own miniatures of vodka on board for long flights, discreetly adding to an orange juice that was served.

Skaye

Cleveland brown: that is amazing.. thank you.. I agree with the comment that it was probably pushed by the airlines - now the problem is not being served food - having two close flights and not enough time in between to buy anything!

Cassandra

I think the airlines pushed it as much for the safety of their FAs and other passengers as anything else.

But what I want to know is how gruntled you can be without a mini vodka? I can be quite gruntled if I have food, very ungruntled with just stupid no-nuts-included pretzels.