In this article:
The legal lowest drinking age on aircraft
To begin with the legal standpoint, which isn’t particularly pertinent. The legal lowest drinking age during a flight is dictated by the regulations of the country where the airline you’re flying is registered. As I’ll elaborate on subsequently, numerous airlines enforce additional restrictions beyond that.
As you might notice, this results in a fascinating scenario. For instance, on a journey from Atlanta to Frankfurt, the lowest drinking age varies between Delta and Lufthansa.
There are additional points to consider:
– Certain airlines refrain from serving alcohol, even if they originate from a nation that does not completely prohibit alcohol.
– A number of countries impose restrictions on foreign airlines; for example, Saudi Arabia prohibits the serving of alcohol on flights to and from Saudi Arabia, as well as while over Saudi Arabian airspace; however, airlines can serve alcohol if they are merely overflying Saudi Arabia between two other nations.
– Different regulations may frequently apply to pre-departure drinks since those are provided on the ground, hence they are perceived differently than alcohol served during the flight; consequently, local laws come into play, airlines are obliged to pay taxes on that alcohol, etc.
US airlines enforce a minimum drinking age of 21
Airline rules dictate drinking age on flights
While laws establish the absolute minimum threshold for the age at which one can drink on a flight, the reality is that airlines each have their distinct policies, which take precedence over the laws (as they are always at least as strict as the law). Here are a few examples:
– On all airlines headquartered in the US, the minimum drinking age is 21, even when flying internationally or starting from a foreign nation.
– On international carriers, the typical minimum drinking age is 18, even if you’re traveling to the United States; this includes carriers such as Aeromexico, British Airways, and Qantas.
– Some international airlines might even have varying drinking ages based on the type of alcohol; for example, Lufthansa’s minimum drinking age is 18 for spirits and 16 for beer and wine, whereas Finnair’s minimum drinking age is 21 for spirits and 18 for beer and wine.
– Some airlines enforce drinking ages that fall between 18 and 21; for instance, in Japan, the minimum drinking age is 20, which applies on All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines as well.
Typically, the minimum drinking age applies irrespective of the flight phase. Thus, on a US airline, you must be at least 21 to drink, even over European airspace, while on a European airline, the drinking age of 16-21 (depending on the airline) applies, even over US airspace. Note that in certain instances, these airline regulations are considerably more stringent than the laws of the respective countries.
Airlines control the drinking age on flights
On some level, it’s simply about behavior
Alcohol remains somewhat taboo among youth in the United States, whereas outside the country, it is much less of an issue and is often seen as normalized (in a responsible manner, with children frequently learning about alcohol from their parents).
Therefore, if you appear and behave appropriately, you generally won’t be refused alcohol on an international flight with a foreign airline, even if you are technically underage. Of course, there are limits, and it all hinges on your appearance.
Additionally, if you are denied access to alcohol, it’s not a major issue. International laws are complex, so it’s not like law enforcement will be awaiting your arrival if you request a drink underage — you can simply say, “oh, I assumed the drinking age was ___.”
I’m not advocating for underage drinking, but merely sharing my observations and experiences from the past, so that individuals can cultivate realistic expectations.
Most European airlines uphold a minimum age of 18
In summary
The situation regarding the minimum drinking age on flights is somewhat intricate. The absolute minimum age reflects the drinking age in the nation where the airline you’re flying originates. However, beyond that, many airlines implement stricter regulations in order to maintain a consistent policy throughout their network.
It’s intriguing how two aircraft in international airspace following identical routes could enforce varying minimum drinking ages, but that’s the reality of the matter…
What has your experience been regarding the minimum drinking age on flights?