Doctor explains five reasons why you shouldn’t drink alcohol on a plan

If you’re flying out of Cork airport – you might just want to stick to the fizzy water

Don’t do it(Image: Getty)

With the summer holiday season officially underway, there is often an unwritten rule in the UK that enjoying a cold pint in the early hours of the morning as you wait in the airport is perfectly acceptable, and sometimes this can stretch to having another once you’re on your flight because its your holiday.

While there is often nothing wrong with enjoying a glass of wine on board, experts have warned that passengers may not be aware that alcohol effects your body differently when on a plane.

Martin Preston, Addiction Specialist, at Private Rehab Clinic Delamere has compiled a list of what happens to the body when drinking alcohol on-board a flight.

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Alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream quicker

“If you’ve ever drank an alcoholic beverage aboard a flight, you’ve probably noticed that you begin to feel its effects more strongly and quicker than you would if you were drinking on land.

“The reason for this is not because the alcohol content is higher in drinks on the plane, but that alcohol is absorbed into your bloodstream more quickly, as a result of cabin pressure and lower levels of oxygen in your blood. This means that you may feel drunker than you normally would when consuming the same amount of alcohol.”Get More of Our News on GoogleSet Cork Beo as a ‘Preferred Source’ to get quicker access to the news you value.

You can get dehydrated more quickly

“As well as feeling the effects of alcohol more quickly, drinking alcohol aboard an aircraft can also be dangerous because it can dehydrate you quicker, this is because in an aircraft the air can be extremely dry. When we become dehydrated and it’s coupled with the diuretic effect of alcohol, it can in some cases lead to dizziness, fainting or lethargy.”

It can cause confusion

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“Consuming alcohol on planes can also lead to a sense of confusion or brain fog.

“Lower levels of air on planes can make us feel groggy and lethargic on its own, as the brain can be sensitive to lack of oxygen. However, when you couple this with alcohol, it can exasperate any problems related to this further, leading to feelings of tiredness, or impaired cognitive abilities.”

It may cause you to act out or engage in dangerous behaviour

“We all know that drinking alcohol has the ability to impair judgement and lower inhibitions, so when we feel its effects more intensely or quickly on a plane, it may cause a person to become loud and disrespectful to crew members and other passengers on the plane.

“Not only that but when inhibitions are lowered we have more trouble staying calm, meaning that drunken behaviour could lead to a confrontation or cause injury/harm to someone else.”

It can disrupt your sleep

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Pangnirtung mayor calls for more screening at Iqaluit airport

“The security at the airport could be tightened up, to check what’s coming into the community”

Pangnirtung airport. The hamlet’s mayor, Stevie Komoartok, wants more to be done to prevent alcohol from being brought into his supposedly dry community in passengers’ luggage. (Photo by Phillip Lightfoot)

By Patricia Lightfoot

Pangnirtung’s mayor says that more should be done to curb the flow of alcohol and drugs from Iqaluit to his supposedly dry community via airline passengers.

“The security at the airport could be tightened up, to check what’s coming into the community,” said Stevie Komoartok.

Passengers don’t go through security at Iqaluit’s airport if they are getting on flights with destinations within the territory.

Komoartok said that he is also concerned that alcohol and drugs are arriving through the mail.

An in-flow of alcohol and drugs has changed the community for the worse in the last couple of years, he said.

In spring 2018, the hamlet council reached out to the Government of Nunavut for help in addressing family violence, suicide, homelessness and addictions.

A meeting took place in the hamlet with senior GN officials from the Department of Justice; officials who work in mental health, poverty reduction and public safety; and then–RCMP commanding officer, Michael Jeffrey.

One outcome was the decision to set up a joint committee of community members and government staff to identify what was working and what was not.

Nunatsiaq News asked Komoartok what has changed since that meeting over a year ago.

Like hamlet councillor Markus Wilcke, who recently shared his perspective with Nunatsiaq News, Komoartok recognizes that there is now wide awareness and concern about Pangnirtung’s situation.

“The Governor General came on August 30, 2018, just to show that she cared about our losses last year,” Komoartok said.

He also expressed his frustration, saying of the hamlet’s requests for help to the GN, “They know about our situation, and it’s just taking too long.”

Regarding the community’s efforts, Komoartok said he’s taken part in many meetings of the joint committee, now called a coalition.

He referenced community initiatives, such as a wellness and empowerment program that ran from mid-January to the spring of this year, and a six-week qumatik-building program for young men that ran last December.

He said, however, that the once-lively youth centre remains closed “due to financial difficulties and staffing difficulties.”

He adds, “I hope they [the GN] come up with something in the next year or so, because I think it’s going to be an emergency in the next couple of years, before we come to that emergency.”

5 Food That Nutritionists Are Horrified People Eat At Airports And What May Be Their Substitutes

Ugnė Bulotaitė and Denis Krotovas

Even if you have flown on a plane before, you probably imagine that there are certain things you need to do to prepare for such a way of traveling. The to-do list before a flight includes properly packing your stuff, making sure you have all the needed documentation, figuring out transportation to the airport, and similar tasks.

Food is on this list as well. You might expect that you shouldn’t overthink this decision and can eat whatever you want. And while it’s not entirely false – you can eat anything you want, at the same time, there are some things it’s better to avoid.

More info: New York Post

Image credits: Visionair Media / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Alcohol

The first thing you should avoid at all costs is alcohol, and it’s due to several reasons. One of them is the fact that airlines have a right to refuse passengers who have drunk too much. People have different alcohol tolerance levels, and some get drunk pretty easily without even realizing it, so do not risk missing a flight; it’s always better to steer clear away from booze.

Additionally, alcohol can make a person sick, which is already bad enough but would be even worse on a plane. Not to mention the fact that it can lead to increased urination, and, well, plane toilets aren’t the comfiest place on Earth, so going there many times doesn’t sound like a fun way to spend a flight.

Even more, despite being a drink, alcohol actually leads the body towards dehydration, which can result in headaches, fatigue, and dizziness. And who else wants to spend their flight this way, right?

Person seated holding a bottle, representing foods and drinks to avoid at the airport.

Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

Caffeinated beverages

Well, if you’re all good with giving up booze before a flight, there’s another beverage you should skip. It’s everyone’s beloved coffee. Just like alcohol, caffeine is a diuretic (a substance that promotes the production of urine). So, the same argument about the bathroom stands here.

Plus, since coffee affects people’s energy levels, its intake can result in sleepiness, which later affects a person’s energy when they land and ruins the intended plans. If you crave the taste of coffee, it’s better to opt for decaf before a flight.

Blonde woman at airport, drinking coffee while using phone.

Image credits: benzoix / Freepik (not the actual photo)

Fountain drinks

Just as you should opt for bottled beverages instead of those from the fountains. According to nutritionists, the fountains have an increased risk for bacterial ingestion if the dispenser isn’t cleaned properly. Plus, carbonated drinks can cause bloating, which would be uncomfortable during travel. So, maybe it’s better to save the joy of a sugary drink for later and have an undisturbed trip.

Airport soda machine with various drink options, showcasing beverages to consider avoiding as per nutritionist advice.

Image credits: fajri nugroho / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Beans

Moving from bevies to solid foods, nutrition experts suggest avoiding beans and cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli and cauliflower) before a flight. Again, it’s because of the already mentioned bloating, which turns out can become even worse in the air. And let’s admit, that wouldn’t be pleasant either for you or for the people around you.

Image credits: rawpixel.com / Freepik (not the actual photo)

Prepackaged and self-serve food

Prepackaged or self-served food is also a no-go. Apparently, these foods often carry E. coli risks. As nutritionists pointed out, you can never be sure whether they were washed and handled properly, which means they can carry illnesses such as the mentioned E. coli or norovirus.

Also, prepackaged food is usually the best when kept in safe temperatures, and if it has been more than 2 hours since it left it, there’s a chance it’s no longer good, even if its expiration date is anywhere near.

Person holding a plate of assorted foods at a buffet, highlighting choices to avoid consuming at the airport.

Image credits: City Church Christchurch / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

So, you might start wondering, what can you eat at the airports. Luckily, the same nutritionists gave these options as well.

First and foremost is water. Since you can’t bring your water through security, you can either buy it there or bring your empty bottle and fill it. Either way, it’s important to stay hydrated. Carrying single-serve portions of electrolyte powder to add to water can be useful, too.

A woman enjoying a meal with water at an airport lounge, highlighting foods and drinks to avoid before flights.

Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

Talking solid food, shelf-stable snacks like various bars, trail mixes, and hard cheeses (unless you’re lactose intolerant) are a good option. These foods can make you feel full but not make you ill or rush you to the bathroom, making them perfect snacks for a plane.

As you can probably understand, all these suggestions aren’t rules set in stone. But they are given by experts who know what they’re talking about, and dismissing all of it would be rather silly, as these tips might actually make your trip at least a tad easier.