We all get used to where we live or grew up, so travelling abroad to visit a new city or country can be an exciting and fulfilling adventure as you can immerse yourself into a different culture, try unique foods, hear a different language or slang, and learn about different customs – and you might find out if the stereotypes you had heard about a nation’s people are actually true or not.
One American woman was gobsmacked recently after visiting a UK airport and noticed one similarity between the Brits.
People who travel to the UK for the first time often expect to be drinking cups of tea, listening to different accents, see plenty of greenery and old buildings, tuck into some fish and chips, and perhaps stop by Buckingham Palace to see what royal life is like. But, we are also known for our enjoying a party – and our well-earned ‘Brits abroad’ status starts as soon as we get to the airport.
British folk going to the airport think of it like a vortex – after checking in and going through security, time simply does not exist to us. We love throwing out the ‘we’re on our holidays’ line whenever we travel abroad, and that of course means a pre-holiday pint or another alcohol beverage in the airport is totally acceptable, no matter what time.
An American woman, named Melissa, took to TikTok to share how gobsmacked she was after spotting a sea of people drinking and said they were “living it up” at 7am.
Melissa, who has recently moved to the UK, was travelling recently and said: “UK airports are my Roman Empire. Everybody is drinking, there’s people dressed up for their hen dos, everyone is living it up, it is so funny.”
She showed on camera the amount of people holding a beer in a London Stanstead Airport bar. Melissa added: “Every single table here has a drink.” She also laughed after seeing a man dressed as Ginger Spice, from the Spice Girls. “He was owning it,” she said.
“That’s my husband to be as Geri Halliwell,” a bride commented on Melissa’s video.
Melissa insisted that the people watching at UK airports is “top tier”. She loved watching people while waiting for her flight, but she opted for a yogurt with granola and a coffee instead of joining the party train.
Melissa concluded: “I could just come here to sit and people watch…UK airports have to be my favourite thing.”
People rushed to comment, as one noted: “Time does not exist at UK airports. You drink regardless.” “This isn’t a worldwide tradition?,” one stunned brit said.
One other commented: “As the saying goes, it’s cocktail hour somewhere. Although British airport is cocktail hour 24/7.” “UK airport is where the holiday starts,” declared another.
A Brit excited for their next trip to the airport said: “Soon as us Brits hit the airport that’s when the holiday starts. We pay for the all inclusive lounge and I’ll be drinking at 9am when I go to Mexico in 6 weeks time. I’m getting my moneys worth at least.”
“No one does the first day of a holiday like us,” insisted one other. Another agreed, and added: “UK airports are feral. We love a drink before our holiday, acceptable drinking times are obsolete at the airport!”
Another American agreed with Melissa, and shared: “Facts ! I could not believe the amount of people drinking at the most random times. Love that for them.”
One other stunned individual said: “Went to Edinburgh for work many years ago, saw a guy sink three pints before the flight. This was 6am, on a Tuesday…”