 "Surat-Bangkok flight: Rs 1.8 lakh liquor consumed by 175 flyers in 4 hours")
Passengers on Air India’s inaugural Surat-Bangkok flight reportedly consumed the entire stock of alcohol and snacks during the four-hour journey, according to travellers’ accounts shared in now-viral posts on X.
The flight, operated with a Boeing 737-8 aircraft on Friday, carried 175 passengers and six crew members. Passengers allegedly consumed 15 litres of liquor worth Rs 1.8 lakh, along with popular Gujarati snacks such as khaman and thepla.
A video shared on X showed empty liquor bottles aboard the flight. In a viral post, one user wrote, “Air India’s first flight from Surat to Bangkok received 98 per cent passengers on the first day itself. Passengers finished their stock of whiskey and beer… drank 15 litres of alcohol worth more than Rs 1.8 lakh in a 4-hour journey.”
Videos captured passengers smiling and laughing amid the alleged alcohol shortage. The incident sparked surprise not only due to the significant alcohol consumption but also because of the flight’s origin in Gujarat, a state with strict anti-alcohol laws.
Airline denies liquor shortage claims
The Tata Group-owned Air India Express has yet to issue an official statement regarding the alleged stock depletion. However, airline officials have dismissed the claims as exaggerated.
According to a report by PTI, the airline denied running out of stock, stating that there was sufficient alcohol and food available throughout the flight.
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Officials clarified that passengers are typically served no more than 100 ml of liquor each. Despite brisk sales, they maintained that social media claims of alcohol shortages were inaccurate.
How much liquor was onboard?
The airline offers five types of liquor onboard, priced as follows:
- Chivas Regal (50 ml): Rs 600
- Red Label, Bacardi White Rum, Beefeater Gin (50 ml each): Rs 400
- Bira Lager (330 ml): Rs 400
Alcohol bans in Gujarat
The incident has generated discussion, particularly as Gujarat has prohibited the consumption and sale of alcohol since 1960. However, earlier this year, the Gujarat government permitted limited alcohol access within the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT) in Gandhinagar.
Under the new guidelines, alcohol consumption is restricted to designated “wine and dine” zones. Eligible individuals aged 21 and above can obtain permits for Rs 1,000 annually.
Despite the Surat-Bangkok flight departing from Gujarat, it adhered to international aviation norms, allowing alcohol service onboard.