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During the hot vacation season (and, in fact, not only), many are interested in issues related to the transport and drinking of alcohol on board the aircraft. These questions are extremely varied. From general ones, from the series: “Is it possible to carry alcohol on an airplane?” to more specific ones like “how much alcohol can I take on a plane?” or really tricky ones, for example: “how much alcohol can you buy in duty free?”
In this article we will try to give you the most comprehensive answers to these and other questions related to alcohol and aviation topics.
Can I take alcohol on a plane?
Of course. Only in this case it is necessary to comply with the rules and regulations for transporting alcohol on an airplane.
How many liters of alcohol can I carry on a plane
If we are talking about whether it is possible to carry alcohol in the baggage of an airplane (we will talk about hand luggage separately), then in this case there are a number of generally accepted rules. So, the volume of drinks, whose strength does not exceed 24 degrees, is limited only by the general regulation of the weight of luggage.
That is, if, according to the rules of the airline, you can carry up to 40 kg per person in the luggage compartment, then all this cargo can consist, say, of the corresponding amount of bottled port wine (of course, taking into account the weight of the glass containers themselves).
In the case of drinks with a strength of 24 to 70 degrees, each adult passenger can carry up to 5 liters of alcohol in his luggage. The transportation of substances exceeding the 70-degree vice in strength is strictly prohibited.
However, attention!
All these rather liberal rules for carrying alcohol on an airplane, in fact, are relevant only for domestic flights. In the case of international flights, the first violin is played by the norms adopted for the export and import of alcohol in a particular country (they can be found in your travel agency, airline or the information service of the embassy of the state you are interested in).
For example, from Ukraine you can take out only one liter of strong alcohol per adult traveler (although if a person has not reached the age of 21, then having arrived in the USA or, say, in the UK, he will no longer be considered as such).
Duty-free import of alcohol into Russia extends to 3 liters of alcohol per person (plus another 7 liters subject to various duties and fees).
In the US, you can only import 1 liter of alcohol duty-free; but when paying all due fees, the amount of imported alcohol is not limited.
The import of strong drinks to Egypt and Thailand is limited to one liter, to Turkey – a liter of strong liquor or 1,4 liters of wine; in some of the administrative-territorial units of the UAE, only non-Muslims can import alcohol, and in Saudi Arabia, the import of alcohol is generally prohibited.
How to pack alcohol in luggage on an airplane
In addition to the fact that each bottle, in order to avoid damage to dishes on board, must be individually wrapped, there is another important rule.
To ensure that you do not have any problems during the inspection of your luggage, the alcohol you carry must be in its original packaging. That is, in bottles from the direct manufacturer with proper labels, markings and excises.
Drink in hand luggage on the plane
You should start with the fact that through the security screening of any airport you can carry only a liter of any liquid; including alcohol. At the same time, the transported liquid must be in bottles, whose volume does not exceed 100 ml.
Each such carefully sealed container must be placed in a separate transparent bag with a zipper. In this situation, it is convenient to carry anything, but not alcohol.
Fortunately, there remains a saving duty free, where, after passing through security, you can purchase various alcoholic drinks. The main thing is that their weight does not exceed the limit set by your airline for hand luggage, and the volume complies with the regulations of the country you are traveling to. Although, here there are several additional nuances.
So, if the store packaging of the purchased drinks is damaged during the trip, then after landing you may have troubles from the airline.
If you have to use the services of American air carriers, keep in mind that you can only bring on board alcohol purchased in duty free shops located at US airports.
If you are flying in transit through the Schengen area, then when you transfer, you will definitely be required to place drinks purchased at the airport of a country that is not part of the Schengen zone in your luggage.
What kind of alcohol can you drink on a plane
Any ethical doctor will tell you that it’s best not to drink alcohol at all on board an airliner. Then, seeing your distressed face, he will graciously add that you can afford some light beer or red wine.
We do not see anything wrong with drinking any strong drinks during air travel (of course, if you do not have serious medical contraindications, for example, those associated with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or cardiovascular system).
The main thing to remember is that at an altitude of more than three kilometers, the intensity of the effect of alcohol on the body almost triples.
Therefore, as you start celebrating the start of your journey, don’t forget that you should limit yourself to a third of your usual norm (which we hope you know very well).
Can I drink my own alcohol in the cabin
Well, what can I say … The vast majority of airlines, guided by commercial considerations and safety standards, categorically forbid passengers to consume their own alcoholic supplies on board.
Finding a broken commercial packaging of a duty free drink when you get off the plane can cost you a hefty fine.
However, guided by our own experience, we can add that if you buy a small bottle of this or that alcoholic drink on board, and then attach a couple of the same copies to it, bought ahead of time in duty free, then nothing bad should happen.
The main thing is not to forget about the peculiarities of the effects of alcohol in the air, and also to keep in mind that an air passenger who has gone overboard is a very unappetizing and often unsafe phenomenon.
Relevance: 23.07.2016
Tags: Tips and life hacks