You've successfully finished work on time, rounded up the kids/pets, got everything packed, navigated airport security and remembered your passport.

Now on board the plane, you're ready to be whisked away to your relaxing holiday and put your feet up.

At the perfect moment, the flight attendant comes by and offers you a complimentary drink - you accept it, right?

Recent research by Holiday Extras found the number of travellers enjoying a pre-flight drink rose from 31% to 42% in the past three years and 'excessive drinking' has also increased.

According to the survey, the number of people having between four and eight units at airports has doubled.

Dr Clare Morrison, a GP for online doctor and pharmacy MedExpress, says there are several reasons why drinking on board might not be such a good idea.

Booze won't taste as nice in the air anyway

"Taste buds can be dulled during a flight and the low humidity dries out the nasal passageways and mouth," says Morrison. "This, together with low cabin pressure, causes a reduced sense of smell. Our taste buds become less sensitive, particularly to sweet flavours, so this may well make that glass of wine taste less pleasant than usual."

The problem is, travelling can be a stressful experience many people prefer to dull with a drink (or an exciting experience other people want to celebrate with one), so the trick might just be to come prepared with some music, downloaded Netflix shows or a good book - and a big bottle of water.

Allow plenty of time to get to the airport so you arrive fresh, not flustered, and ready to relax on the flight without needing that drink.


It's pretty uncommon to see anyone bounding off a flight full of energy and feeling great, and that horrible groggy feeling may not just be down to lack of sleep in a cramped seat, or travelling across time zones.

"The other problem is that cabin air has relatively less oxygen than we're used to, similar to being high up a mountain, which means that drinking can have a greater effect than it does at sea level," says Morrison. "This is because alcohol impairs the ability of the blood to absorb oxygen, exacerbating any problems relating to low oxygen levels, including cognitive impairment and breathing difficulties.

Should drinking be allowed at airports?
Should drinking be allowed at airports?


No wonder that often, all we feel up to doing on a plane is watching a straight-to-DVD quality film and dozing between snacks.

You'll disturb your sleep even more

Travelling from one time zone to another upsets our body's natural rhythm already, so add in alcohol and you're likely to feel even more off-kilter.

"Drinking alcohol can disturb it further by making us drowsy at the wrong time of day, and then too alert when it wears off, making it difficult to sleep properly," says Morrison.

A stock image of an airplane

Dizziness and tiredness

The humidity on board an aeroplane is very low - usually less than 20% according to the World Health Organisation.

"That's why we need to drink plenty of water," says Morrison. "However, because alcohol acts as a diuretic, it has the effect of drying the body out even more. This could make us feel dizzy, light-headed, and tired, as well as drying out the lips and skin."

Fluid loss

"Having a few drinks just before a flight is even worse than drinking on the plane," says Morrison, "as the diuretic effect will cause fluid loss right at the start of the journey, causing maximum impact."

So instead of that pre-flight beer (or any caffeinated drinks, which have similarly dehydrating effects) you'll be much better off drinking plenty of water before boarding, to make sure your body is fully prepared for the drying effects of the plane.

Alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream more quickly

The lack of oxygen on a plane can also make us feel more drunk, even if the blood alcohol level isn't particularly high, notes Morrison, who explains: "When alcohol is accompanied by a proper meal, we tend to drink more slowly, and the food slows down the rate at which alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream." But we're far less likely to eat a decent meal on a plane.


It's a fairly normal complaint, to feel like your digestive system isn't quite right during, or after, a flight.

"Low cabin pressure makes it more likely that we will suffer from bloating and excessive stomach gas," says Morrison. "Alcoholic drinks can exacerbate this, leading to nausea, dyspepsia [indigestion] and abdominal discomfort.
