What is the legal age to drink on an international flight?

Question

I have been on quite a few international flights, and have always been offered alcoholic beverages. I'm 17, from the U.S. where we all know the legal age is 21. I was just wondering if the flight attendents like me, or if the laws are different at 36,000 feet.

Answer 1

It depends on the carrier you are flying.  Once you are in the air it's the law of the country whose flag you are flying under.  For example, American, United, Delta, etc. would be US law, British Airways or Virgin Atlantic would be British law, Air France would be French law, etc.

It's been my experience that foreign flight attendants are not nearly as caught up in checking ID.

Safe travels!

Answer 2

I always thoguht the international legal age was 18.  Once you're off the states, on waters / air, it follows international laws, which is 18 i believe.

but maybe they changed it to 21 now?

Answer 3

depends where you are flying from and too.

in the states it is 21

but when i go form new zealand to australia it is 18 because that is both countries drinking ages. =]

Answer 4

hahaha its 21 they asked the girl next to me for ID once.

Answer 5

It's either based on the home country of the airline on which you're flying, or the country from which the flight took off.  I forget which.  Ditto for "what is the citizenship for babies born on international flights?", by the way.

Answer 6

it's 21. i saw a guy get carded. you might just look older for your age.