Water water everywhere but not a drop to drink!

doberryfirkin

Has Gatwick sunk to a new low? I recently flew from Gatwick and as we all know there is no option to take water through security. But I am fed up with being at the mercy of the rip off merchants who will charge anything up to £2 for a bottle of water - espectially when you could be facing a wait in departure for anything up to 4 hours followed by x hour flight before getting to the next water stop. So I reasonably expected that there would at least be a water fountain or some public supply of drinking water in departure - wrong. Apparently they have been removed because of the risk of disease. Is it reasonable for passengers - who have no escape - to be expected to pay over the odds for what is a public utility?

claire16c

doberryfirkin wrote: »

Has Gatwick sunk to a new low? I recently flew from Gatwick and as we all know there is no option to take water through security. But I am fed up with being at the mercy of the rip off merchants who will charge anything up to £2 for a bottle of water - espectially when you could be facing a wait in departure for anything up to 4 hours followed by x hour flight before getting to the next water stop. So I reasonably expected that there would at least be a water fountain or some public supply of drinking water in departure - wrong. Apparently they have been removed because of the risk of disease. Is it reasonable for passengers - who have no escape - to be expected to pay over the odds for what is a public utility?

Yes the prices can be inflated, its annoying. But unless your flight was delayed, why on earth would you be in departures for 4 hours? And you can drink on the plane! So its not like once you are through security you have to wait until you reach your final destination to get a drink. So Im not sure why youve said you need to get on a flight of x hours before your next water stop?

Also - if you go to Boots at the airport you can get a meal deal, and that way you would get water for a much more reasonable price.

NFH

claire16c wrote: »

And you can drink on the plane!

Do airlines have to supply free drinking water to passengers? An experience once suggested that they do.

jackieblack

We always buy bottled water in Boots once through security. Don't remember ever paying more than in High St stores and have often got '3 for 2' deals.

NFH

jackieblack wrote: »

We always buy bottled water in Boots once through security. Don't remember ever paying more than in High St stores and have often got '3 for 2' deals.

I think the OP's point, and I agree, is that drinking water is a basic right, and that passengers should not have to pay at all. Those selling water airside have been indirectly profiting from terrorism since 2006 when passengers were banned from taking liquids airside. Fortunately, I nearly always have lounge access, allowing me to drink free beer while I wait for my flight so I've never had cause to complain about this.

doberryfirkin

Thanks for the replies, but I still don't see why having had drinks taken off you in security there isn't a supply of drinking water within departure. You cannot go anywhere to get it and therefore you are at the mercy of the vendors. A family of 5 having two water stops can easily notch up £12. It's more the principle - seems like Ryanair philosophy stretching into the departure lounge - oh and yes I have had a 4 hour wait in departure.

jackieblack

NFH wrote: »

I think the OP's point, and I agree, is that drinking water is a basic right, and that passengers should not have to pay at all.

Oh OK.
I thought the complaint was that water is only available to buy airside at over-inflated prices.
I suppose if someone objects to paying 65p for a bottle of water they could fill their clear plastic bag with as many 100ml bottles of tap water as they could fit in?

stoneman

OP, I have never even thought f it before but you are correct, there should be free clean drinking water air-side. Maybe there is actually an EU regulation for it (there seems to be one for everything else) Maybe a bit of a dig on the net and an email to the administrator of LGW to point this out.

Westin

750ml bottles of water are sold in the Duty Free shops for £1.10

NFH

Westin wrote: »

750ml bottles of water are sold in the Duty Free shops for £1.10

That proves the OP's point rather than providing a solution. Drinking water should be provided free of charge when one is prohibited from bringing one's own water.

Westin

...well it's not £2 then as suggested...

Annoying but I wouldn't pick on Gatwick. It's far worse at overseas airports where water costs significantly more and even if a water fountain was found I wouldn't necessarily want to use it.