Sky drinking

Sociologists maintain that travel broadens the mind to such an extent that we do things we would never do at home, and a change in our drinking habits is one of them.

We often drink more than is customary, and for those unable to relax sufficiently before being whisked into the skies, alcoholic content is important.

A couple of stiff scotches or gin and tonics work wonders, and if the measures are too small because of the stingy optics behind the bar, a hip flask is a lifesaver and a money-saver.

Once airborne, the drinks trolley seems to take hours to arrive, and protests will not help; (although I do remember a Gib Airways hostess who amazingly brought an apron full of miniatures to deposit in my lap).

So, what about BYOB, as restaurant slang goes? Laying out my pull-down tray once on a BA Malaga-London flight, the hostess caught sight of my bottle of manzanilla and commented, "Ah, you are obviously accustomed to flying out of Gibraltar," before asking me to put it away and buy from the in-flight service.