Many São Paulo-based bankers – and one Euromoney journalist – travelled the relatively short distance on Brazil’s budget-style airline Gol (which charges for luggage in the hold and has no in-flight entertainment).
The thought of the ensuing boredom on the return journey prompted enough people to try taking the wine home with them. The question was whether to risk putting a glass bottle in the hold or to smuggle it in our hand luggage at the risk of having it confiscated.
In the end, getting the booze on board wasn’t an issue: the airline turned a blind eye to international aviation rules concerning liquid capacities. Indeed, one banker Euromoney was talking to in the departure lounge had four 750ml bottles in his hand luggage.
Another must have got the IDB’s gift corkscrew (complete with sharp knife utensil) through the X-ray machines too, because he proceeded to open a bottle just after take-off and share the wine around the (otherwise teetotal) flight.
This, however, did, apparently, flout the rules. He received quite a ticking off from the air steward. But since the bottle was open, there was nothing to be done but finish it.
Just how aggravating is the relaxed approach to flying in Argentina’s wine country to those of you shuffling through security at European, US and Asian airports in socks and having your bottles of plastic mineral water confiscated?