Experts warn holidaymakers about serious consequences drinking on a plane can have
An expert has issued a stark warning to anyone who enjoys a tipple as they fly to their holiday destination.
Airports are stressful, we all know that. Which means it's understandable why most airport bars are open around-the-clock for frazzled travellers.
It's also not a surprise that most airlines serve several options which are much stronger than water for anyone looking to celebrate or calm their nerves on the flight.
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Being drunk on a plane isn't advised for numerous reasons, the obvious being that you become a nuisance to everyone around you and let's face it, no one wants to be washing vomit out of their new holiday clothes either.
Drunken behaviour could see you get kicked off the flight, banned from an airline or even arrested.
So don't drink excessively, you're thinking... Or maybe just one single beer won't hurt?
Well, it's time to think again as health experts have now warned against drinking at all while onboard a plane, as it can have serious consequences.
According to Dr. Thomas Pontinen, drinking at 30,000ft is completely different to drinking on the ground - with alcohol impacting your body much quicker at high altitudes.
Normally, alcohol will bind with the haemoglobin in our body to keep our organs functioning, which includes our ability to digest alcohol.
However at higher altitudes our oxygen levels are lower, which means it can take longer for us to digest alcohol, thus leading to us becoming drunk quicker.
"The lower our oxygen levels, the harder it is to metabolise and eliminate alcohol," Pontinen told Yahoo Life, adding that drinking alcohol while on a plane can also lead to dizziness, headaches and confusion.
Dehydration is another side effect of drinking, which will also be made worse by the dry air you're breathing in while travelling. It's reported that airplanes can have 15 to 45 percent less humidity than we're used to, which means it's much easier to get dehydrated quicker.
Add in alcohol and the fact that you're sat stationary for several hours, and you've pretty much got a recipe for disaster.
"It's not just the alcohol [in isolation]," Dr. Leonard Pianko explained.
"What I worry about most is that individuals who drink alcohol take a sleeping pill and cross their legs, which can lead to increased blood clotting."
Drinking alcohol and then sleeping on a long flight can also cause issues for your heart, with research suggesting that people with sleep apnea or obesity related breathing disorders should even avoid having alcohol before their flight.
However, if you're still determined to knock back a beer on your flight, then experts recommend that you balance every alcoholic drink you consume with a glass of water.
Maybe you could even try out the new 'zebra striping' drinking trend?
Topics: Plane Etiquette, Travel
Brenna Cooper