I know some FA's and spouses of FA's frequent this site, so...

Son travelling with me to SYD from YVR on AC. He is of legal age to drink at destination (18) but not at point of origin(19). So can he have a drink? Which jurisdiction takes precedence? If he was on a domestic Qantas flight he could drink I assume.

Thank you
CSM

I'd imagine it's based on the jurisdiction of the Carriers origin. As AC is Canadian It will probably be 19+.

Captain S itmagnet wrote:If he was on a domestic Qantas flight he could drink I assume.

I flew Quantas to NZ at age 18. I had a nice cold beer on the long flight.

Usually, it is based on the drinking age of the province or state of arrival. Subject to airline policy, of course, as well as the knowledge base of the server.

Pratt3's response is sort of what I think it would be like. That would mean that "yes" outbound and "no" inbound.


Anyone have something legally binding to offer?

CSM

I don't have a direct answer. I know WS bases the time they start serving alcohol on the point of departure, not the point of arrival. I would guess similar rules apply to age, although I can't quote chapter and verse.

I remember when I was younger, I used to travel on my own quite a bit so I learned to ask. I was served many times on AC or Jazz despite being under age at both point of departure and arrival.

Would it hurt your kid that much, after 18 years, to have to wait another 15? hours to have a drink? Besides, I'm sure that it will taste better with beach sand oozing between his toes, and bikinis walking by, than belted into a barely padded seat with an F/A the age of his grandma serving him...

AC's policy is 18, domestic or international. However on international flights, you can drink under 18 as long as a parent or guardian approves.

Mr North Shore. No harm, no foul.
Alcohol is neither a novelty nor taboo in our family, but that's for another time and place. I thought he would enjoy having a glass of wine with dinner as part of the special package that is his birthday and graduation gift. He would probably drink more that evening if we had birthday dinner at home fwiw. And of course no risk of a dwi

I once took a flight from Denver to Calgary on United when I was 19. I asked for a beer but was refused because I wasn't 21. After we flew over the border I asked the F/A again and explained I was now of drinking age as we were now in Canada. She called me a smart a$$ and told me to sit down.

It also may depend on where the airline is based and thus which province provides the liquor license.

So for the record he enjoyed a couple of glasses of fair-to-middling quality (non Canadian or Australian) wines with dinner with no questions asked. Helped that conducted himself in a civilized manner and was well dressed. Alcohol is not a novelty for him.

As for serving Chilean etc wines on this route, don't understand the logic of that at all. Someone is missing the boat with practicality and marketing here