MSE News: No water fountains in more than HALF of UK airports

coffeehound

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

It must be a paste (possibly a very thick paste) otherwise why would the instructions state this:

If it was 100% rock, it wouldn't need any drying tme.

Pitrok is hydrated potassium alum so must contain a fair bit of water.

MSE Pro-Tip: 30p shavers alum block from ethnic supermarkets is basically the same thing for a fraction of the cost!!1!

:money:

zagfles

coffeehound wrote: »

Pitrok is hydrated potassium alum so must contain a fair bit of water.

So what - an apple is 84% water. In fact most food, particularly fruit, has a high water content. Doesn't mean it's a "liquid". Never had a problem taking apples or bananas on flights.

Carrot007

zagfles wrote: »

So what - an apple is 84% water. In fact most food, particularly fruit, has a high water content. Doesn't mean it's a "liquid". Never had a problem taking apples or bananas on flights.

Indeed, babies are 78% water are they banned?

huudi

Stansted HAD a Fountain but it was removed long ago during the continual refurbishment, only warm is available in toilets. When I asked a worker where I could get water, she replied in Chinglish "shop".
Southend have confiscated my empty bottle at security claiming the residue in the bottle may be a dangerous substance.

Pollycat

huudi wrote: »

Stansted HAD a Fountain but it was removed long ago during the continual refurbishment, only warm is available in toilets. When I asked a worker where I could get water, she replied in Chinglish "shop".
Southend have confiscated my empty bottle at security claiming the residue in the bottle may be a dangerous substance.

Did this happen recently? Or, like ScarletMarble's friend at least 3 years ago?

Here's Southend Airport's response to MSE:

London Southend Airport's chief executive officer Glyn Jones immediately responded to our letter, saying: "We do not provide water fountains. However, free filling of water bottles is available on request, which we think is a better solution and one which is much more hygienic than even the best maintained water fountain.

It doesn't make sense for MSE to post this:

After revealing earlier this summer how to find free water at airports which do have fountains installed, we contacted 30 UK airports which offer international flights to ask them if passengers can fill up an empty bottle for free at a water fountain after security. While many of the bigger airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Stansted, do have fountains, 18 told us they did not.

Taking an empty bottle through security and then filling it up at a water fountain is the simplest answer – we've had a massive response from users since publishing a list of airport water fountains earlier this summer.

if empty water bottles are being confiscated.

Or maybe the answer is to make sure the bottle is completely dry when going through Security.

ETA:
The response from Southend Airport is "passengers can ask in restaurants" - see the MSE article.

System

Most of us go abroad once or twice a year. Paying over the odds for some water on the odd occasion isn't going to be a big deal.

I normally get a meal deal from Boots where I select water for the drink. I am flying from East Midlands in just over 6 weeks time and checked the website and there is no Boots. I normally get something to eat at the airport and get a Boots meal deal to eat either on the plane or when on the transfer to the hotel. If I don't eat at regular intervals, I get blinding headaches.

On the way back, I make sandwiches with the breakfast stuff - as there are cooked/cured meats and cheese and wrap some cake or pastry in paper napkins, discreetly as some hotels are funny with guests taking food out from the restaurant.

k3lvc

Mobeer wrote: »

Duty free shops were selling water for £1 a bottle for charity - not sure if they still do.

http://www.onedifference.org/en_UK/ is the organisation - not sure on the £1 price but on the upside they've also started selling gin made from their water

Grumpelstiltskin

ScarletMarble wrote: »

Most of us go abroad once or twice a year. Paying over the odds for some water on the odd occasion isn't going to be a big deal.

I normally get a meal deal from Boots where I select water for the drink. I am flying from East Midlands in just over 6 weeks time and checked the website and there is no Boots. I normally get something to eat at the airport and get a Boots meal deal to eat either on the plane or when on the transfer to the hotel. If I don't eat at regular intervals, I get blinding headaches.

On the way back, I make sandwiches with the breakfast stuff - as there are cooked/cured meats and cheese and wrap some cake or pastry in paper napkins, discreetly as some hotels are funny with guests taking food out from the restaurant.

Scarlet Boots has been replaced by Superdrug. Sandwiches not as good as Boots but you can still get a 1 litre bottle of water with the meal deal, but watch the bottle size some brands are 750 ml.

System

Grumpelstiltskin wrote: »

Scarlet Boots has been replaced by Superdrug. Sandwiches not as good as Boots but you can still get a 1 litre bottle of water with the meal deal, but watch the bottle size some brands are 750 ml.

Thank you.

Not flown from EMA since I was 10,

shaun_from_Africa

zagfles wrote: »

Pubs and restaurants that serve alcohol already have to give free tap water, you'll find plenty of them at any airport. So what's the big deal?

This doesn't apply to any pubs or restaurants that are in the departure area of any UK airport.
Airside establishments are not covered by the relevant legislation that states free tap water must be provided (Licensing act 2003) which is why they can't be prosecuted for serving underage customers.

They may well provide water but they are under no legal obligation to do so.