Why you should never drink alcohol on a flight

Publish date: Wednesday، 03 October 2018 Last update: Thursday، 25 February 2021

1. The idea of drinking on a flight

For many of us, flying for a vacation is incomplete without alcohol. It is not only a good idea to kill time in the flight but also satisfying. However, according to health experts, drinking on-board is not a good idea and should be avoided at all costs. Let us explore why?

2. What actually happens?

According to health experts, the relative humidity is the flight is very low and this can cause severe dehydration. It has been proved that spending 8-10 hours in a flight may make you lose up to two litres of water. Drinking alcohol at the same time can make the situation critical resulting in uneasiness, loss of conscience, itchiness and frequent washroom visits.

3. What happens to the brain?

When you consume alcohol, it travels through the blood to the brain and acts as a sedative that slows down the impulse between the nerve cells and disrupts your capacity to think and act.

4. Affects kidney

Alcohol consumption on a flight also increases the flow of fluid in the kidneys that result in dehydration.

5. Hypoxia

Experts have observed that due to decreased pressure, the body’s ability to absorb oxygen is reduced that leads to a condition called hypoxia. In this, a person suffers shortness of breath, slow heart rate, sweating, and cough.

6. Dryness

The dry environment in the flight along with diuretic effects of alcohol may lead to severe health issues resulting in loss of conscience.

7. Aggressive behaviour

According to experts, due to change in pressure you get drunk easily, which can further result in aggressive behaviour and that, is not accepted on a flight at all. This might land you in an embarrassing situation.

8. Avoid salt

There are luxury international flights that serve alcohol on-board. In such cases, you must avoid salty foods along with drinking, as they will only add up to dehydration.

9. Verdict

The idea of making the best of the trip is good, but not at the cost of your health. In case you have a connecting flight, prefer to indulge in caffeine and try to avoid alcohol. Have a happy flight!