The Mystery Of The Scandinavian Passenger?

klmcedric · Sun Mar 12, 2006 8:44 pm

Through my three years of flying as an F/A for KLM, and having been in
contact with a great deal of different cultures, flying all over this globe
one of the many things I noticed is that scandinavians always order 2 or
3 drinks at a time. And I'm not talking about a side of water with a bottle of
wine as happens with a lot of pax, it's a differnet pattern with scandinavian
pax. Non-alcoholic they'll often order softdrink+juice+water all at the same
time. Alcoholic they'll often order 1 or 2 bottle's of wine + gin-tonic/screwdriver/bloody mary etc...
No later then this morning(BREAKFASTSERVICE!!!!) a nice swedish gentlemen
asked me for two bottles of white wine, a heineken and a scotch and coke!!!
What is this peculiar phenomenon??? I mean, offcourse it happens that
pax from other nationalities will order multiple drinks, but the rate at wich
the scandinavian folks do it is striking, I'd say 9 out of 10 will at least order
2drinks at a time!
Who can solve this mystery for me???

I'm also curious about how FA's from other airlines experience this!

byronsterk · Sun Mar 12, 2006 8:55 pm

All the SAS f/a's are probably thinking the same about us, 'Why the hell do they only order one drink at a time?'

HS748 · Sun Mar 12, 2006 9:02 pm

Quoting Byronsterk (Reply 1):
All the SAS f/a's are probably thinking the same about us, 'Why the hell do they only order one drink at a time?'

Good point!

frenchpilot · Sun Mar 12, 2006 9:29 pm

Oh my god! This is SOOOOO true!
I fly for WX, and on our GOT flight, we always have problems with the alcoholic drinks, as we simply don't carry enough for that particular flight.
I will always remember my first flight, my colleagues didn't brief me on that particular situation, and as I served my very first passenger asked for (I will always remember that one!): a coke, a perrier, a red whine, a coffee, a whiskey and a brandy. So I gave her everything except the brandy since we don't have that, so she asked for another red whine. I thought she ordered for the whole row............ Well nope!!!! Was ALL for herself!!!!
This happens on every single flight, and I am glad to hear other airlines experience that as well. We leave with a great deal of alcohol, and come back to Paris with completely empty bars!
I don't wanna be flamed cause I absolutly love scandinavia and have tons of friends there, but swedish people on the plane do not know how to say "Hi, thanks, please, bye". Very strange cause in everyday's life, they really are different then on the plane.

Smile

Love the swedish flights!

ltbewr · Sun Mar 12, 2006 9:49 pm

I would suggest a possible explaination. As you know, alcohol is very expensive and difficult to get in Scandavia. Their countries have very high taxes and package stores are limited in numbers and hours. So if you like to drink and can get drinks for free or at what to them are reasonable prices, you take advantage of it.

killjoy · Sun Mar 12, 2006 9:57 pm

Quoting LTBEWR (Reply 4):
As you know, alcohol is very expensive and difficult to get in Scandavia.

Note that the thread starter also mentioned non-alcoholic drinks.

Anyway, why wouldn't you get more immediately? I always order 2-3 cokes depending on the length of the flight, and then drink the rest later. Waiting will only make it probable that they won't have time to serve you later.

byronsterk · Sun Mar 12, 2006 10:24 pm

Quoting Killjoy (Reply 5):
Anyway, why wouldn't you get more immediately? I always order 2-3 cokes depending on the length of the flight

because coke tastes the best when you drink it cold
if you leave a can of it on your tray in a hot cabin it will taste horrible after 30 mins

Bofredrik · Sun Mar 12, 2006 10:33 pm

It is not expensive to buy alcohol in Sweden.
We can only buy it in special stores but
they are open all day and mon-sat.

"Systembolaget, the Swedish Alcohol Retail Monopoly, exists for one reason only: To minimize alcohol-related problems by selling alcohol in a responsible way, without profit motive. (We're supposed to make a certain profit, but if it's too big we have to lower our prices.)

This has worked well: Alcohol-related problems are smaller in Sweden than in comparable countries where alcohol is sold freely.

The Swedish model isn't always convenient for the consumer - the stores aren't open all night, and you won't find one on every corner.

But a majority of the Swedes are supportive. Partly because they appreciate our significance for the public health. And partly because they like our stores. (We offer one of the world's biggest selections of alcoholic beverages, and our employees really know their Chardonnays from their SauvignonBlancs.)"

http://www.systembolaget.se/Applikat...r/InEnglish/Swedish_alcohol_re.htm

Maybe are swedish airline passengers more afraid of flying?So they ahev to drink more to be C A L M ? drunk

scalebuilder · Sun Mar 12, 2006 10:36 pm

Quoting LTBEWR (Reply 4):
I would suggest a possible explaination. As you know, alcohol is very expensive and difficult to get in Scandavia. Their countries have very high taxes and package stores are limited in numbers and hours. So if you like to drink and can get drinks for free or at what to them are reasonable prices, you take advantage of it.

I definitely think you are on to something here. Being of Scandinavian descent I can certainly agree that policies when it comes to the distribution and availability of alcoholic beverages in this part of the world has historically been very restrictive with prices that are high. This has been somewhat relaxed where beer is now available in grocery stores. Wine and hard liquor is still only available in stores controlled by the government. Keep in mind that these liquor stores are not found on every main street of every little town. You will most likely have to drive, and maybe for hours, to find one unless you live in or close to one of the cities.

So what do a lot of people do when they do go to these liquor stores? They harvest (I've been driving all day to get here - I'll better get a lot!!) As F/As on flights serving Scandinavia, I think you find more of this mentality. Alcohol is served - I better get as much as I can here too.

So in reality that will mean that most Scandinavians don't drink every day, but on those days when they do, they drink a lot. Pretty stressed out relationship to alcohol if you ask me.

Going out with friends one night anywhere in Scandinavia is fun, but you are likely to run into a fairly substantial number of people who all had way too much to drink. I am not talking a few drinks that blur your speech, but a number of drinks that will leave you sleeping on the side walk trying to get home.

I think the Danish are different. They seem to be much more relaxed around alcohol than their two neigbors to the north are. Not sure why, however, availability of alcohol in Denmark has not been all that restrictive and I think this has promoted a much healthier relationship to alcohol too.

David L · Sun Mar 12, 2006 10:38 pm

Quoting KLMcedric (Thread starter):
scotch and coke

Isn't there a law against that? There should be. Smile

Pyrex · Sun Mar 12, 2006 10:58 pm

For further confirmation of how the Scandinavians are generally unable to behave properly around alcohol I suggest a trip to the Algarve or Mallorca.

Quoting Bofredrik (Reply 7):
"Systembolaget, the Swedish Alcohol Retail Monopoly, exists for one reason only: To minimize alcohol-related problems by selling alcohol in a responsible way, without profit motive. (We're supposed to make a certain profit, but if it's too big we have to lower our prices.)

Yeah, alright. The extorsionary taxes on alcohol are not intended to make a profit on alcohol...

klmcedric · Sun Mar 12, 2006 11:10 pm

I didn't mean to point out a certain alcohol problem amongst scandinavian
folks, I don't believe there's one! Please notice that in my threadstarter,
I also describe the very same behavior with non-alcoholic beverages!

Cheers

flyboy_se · Sun Mar 12, 2006 11:15 pm

Quoting Bofredrik (Reply 7):
It is not expensive to buy alcohol in Sweden.

i dont know where you live, but buying alcohol in Sweden is extremly expensive.The reason is the high tax there is on alcohol.I dont drink myself, but i have to say that having Systembolaget is not that good at all.
i dread for every weekend, you see all sorts of people screaming, trying to speak to everybody,thinking they are fun and most sad of all, seeing young people so drunk they dont know where they are.And on top of that all the sleezy bastards that take advantage of it. Belive me, a weekend in Stockholms is like a scene from Hell. It may look fun to you if u had few drinks yourself, but to a sober person its disgusting.

In other countries, where you can buy alcohol anywhere, i dont see this problem.The reason in sweden is i think, limiting the alcohol to people just make it more wanted.its like saying to a little kid , do not do that. they just have to do it ,because you said not to.

Back to the topic, i think the reason for all this is that swedish people love everything thats free.especially alcohol. So the reason they order so much at once is that they are affraid there wont be any left next time.its as simple as that.
cheers

ReidYYZ · Sun Mar 12, 2006 11:17 pm

Not alcohol, but still a relatively odd characteristic: The Portuguese love their sugar. My wife flies and always come back from Portugal amazed at how often she has to go back for more sugar during her 'cha' and 'cafe' service. Don't get me wrong, it is not like their hoarding sugar for their house, they will throw 3-4 packets in a small coffee. People fascinate me.

scalebuilder · Mon Mar 13, 2006 12:28 am

Quoting KLMCedric (Reply 11):
I didn't mean to point out a certain alcohol problem amongst scandinavian
folks,

Honestly I don't think you did. Scandinavians are no more alcoholics than people in other nations. However, the manner in which alcohol is consumed by many Scandinavians is rather different, and I think you touched on that by sharing your "on-the-job" observations.

Couldn't easily explain your observations about the soft drinks unless there were equally many bottles of scotch requested with these. Wink

Mon Mar 13, 2006 12:52 am

Yes, alcohol is expensive in Sweden compared to other countries. That's why I go to Germany to buy booze Smile

But at Systembolaget they have great knowledge about their products, and that you rarely get at your main street/corner liqeur store.
Swedes and drinks, I'd say that we are effective or lazy, we all know it takes forever to get the FA's attention after that initial drink has been served, so it's better to order 2 or 3 drinks to be set up for the next hours or so.
The comment on Swedes in Algarve or wherever, yes Swedes do get absolutely sloshed at various charter destinations, but so do Brits, Dutch and Germans to name but a few. I think that has more to do with being on charter holiday destinations, not where you come from.

lhrmaccoll · Mon Mar 13, 2006 12:57 am

Blimey!! 2 wines, a beer and a JD & Coke.
Pushing the boat out a bit there....
Nutters
Alex

breiz · Mon Mar 13, 2006 1:04 am

Quoting KLMcedric (Thread starter):
one of the many things I noticed is that scandinavians always order 2 or
3 drinks at a time.

I live in Stavanger, Norway, so I can suggest some explanations:
- alcoolic beverages are very expensive. A bottle of regular blend whisky, 70 cl, will cost around €30 and up. Can't find any bottle of wine, 75 cl, under €10.
- based on traditions (both historical and religious), Norwegians are used to party on set occasions. Travelling is one of these occasions, particularly for the holidays makers going South (all the world is South!) where it is cheaper and allowed (whatever).
Hence, because it is free, most Norwegian travellers (and for that matter Danish or Swedish) will enjoy as much drink as reasonably possible during their flight (some are not reasonable and, for exemple, try to open the safety exit to call a taxi - true story).
If the flight is a morning one, who cares, that's the occasion.
Scandinavians are pretty sober most of their life, but when they are not, they are world champions.
One current joke about it is that they are drinking themselves dead drunk, only for the pleasure, the next day, to discover that they are not dead!

About the multiplicity of drinks of various kinds, it may be traced back to the desire to treat well guests by offering them a lot. It is not un-common, at a home dinner or at the restaurant, to be served wine while you still enjoy your gin&tonic, a second wine while the first one is un-finished, coffee while you try to catch-up with wine consumption and liquors in alternance with more wine at the end of the dinner.
Quite surprising for a more organized drinker.

HS748 · Mon Mar 13, 2006 1:33 am

Well it could be a British thing but I would think it terribly rude to ask for more than one drink at a time!

hodja · Mon Mar 13, 2006 1:40 am

I think this thread is slightly reaching...

Consistent double-ordering is a specific scandinavian trait?!

Trying as hard as I can, I genuinely fail to spot this alleged characteristic.

Though certain unnamed scandinavian nationalities not being able to control their liquor intake, now there's something we can all agree about!

duck

killjoy · Mon Mar 13, 2006 1:53 am

Quoting Byronsterk (Reply 6):
because coke tastes the best when you drink it cold
if you leave a can of it on your tray in a hot cabin it will taste horrible after 30 mins

I agree, but less than perfect coke is still better than having none at all, which happened all too frequently before I started taking it when offered.

Twistedwhisper · Mon Mar 13, 2006 1:54 am

Quoting Bofredrik (Reply 7):
It is not expensive to buy alcohol in Sweden.

I know it has already be mentioned, but where do you live?
151 USD/gallon = not expensive??!!!??

Or maybe you are talking about the "chateau de garage"?

Quoting Hodja (Reply 19):
Though certain unnamed scandinavian nationalities not being able to control their liquor intake

Man... don't go there Wink

oldeuropean · Mon Mar 13, 2006 1:58 am

That`s the same mystery as of the Scandinavian guest in hotels around the mediteranean sea, as I know it from the 70th, when I was a child on several holidays with my family. I don`t know if this still happens, but at that time, you could (by 90%) found out in which room Scandinavians stayed overnight, by looking on the lot of empty bottles ( and I´m speaking about bottles of hard stuff) lying in front of the doors, every morning. They were notorious for their benders.

Axel

[Edited 2006-03-12 17:59:56]

CPH757 · Mon Mar 13, 2006 2:04 am

haha, what a great topic. Why do you think that SK can't make profit wink

Seriously, As a Scandinavian i can identify myself. Not so much with the OJ's and water, but the alcohol. When I fly, it's for vacation, so the heck with it. Free alcohol on board is the one thing that saves me on those 10+ hours flights in cattle class...It would be very rude of me calling the F/A all the time for a drink, so why not order all at once Smile

Myself being even more polite running to the rear galley asking for beer when no service car around wink

Quoting Scalebuilder (Reply 8):
Being of Scandinavian descent I can certainly agree that policies when it comes to the distribution and availability of alcoholic beverages in this part of the world has historically been very restrictive with prices that are high.

Exclude Denmark. Prices/availability here is equal to Germany.

Quoting Scalebuilder (Reply 8):
You will most likely have to drive, and maybe for hours, to find one unless you live in or close to one of the cities.

Come ooooon, the local drugstore is allowed to sell booze anyday anytime. You can't even drive for hours in this country without entering another country Smile

CRJ900 · Mon Mar 13, 2006 2:17 am

A sad fact is that many (not all!) Scandinavians are pathetic pisspots who think they look really cool and sophisticated when they gulp down large amounts of alcohol quickly, and they are even proud if they vomit more than everyone else.

I was born and raised here, and have worked within the hospitality industry for a decade and have dealt with far too many drunk idiots. For many years I worked on the longhaul trains, and many pax complained about high ticket prices, but they happily shelled out 2-3 times that amount on alcohol in the bistro and were a pain in the ass for everyone else onboard...

"Ain't got no style, ain't got no class, ain't got no underwear!"... how true... Wink

(Hair, the musical)

scalebuilder · Mon Mar 13, 2006 2:18 am

Quoting CPH757 (Reply 23):
Exclude Denmark. Prices/availability here is equal to Germany.

Quoting Scalebuilder (Reply 8):
You will most likely have to drive, and maybe for hours, to find one unless you live in or close to one of the cities.

Come ooooon, the local drugstore is allowed to sell booze anyday anytime. You can't even drive for hours in this country without entering another country

I think I excluded Denmark in my earlier post as being typical of Scandinavian drinking mentality.

Quoting Scalebuilder (Reply 8):
I think the Danish are different. They seem to be much more relaxed around alcohol than their two neigbors to the north are. Not sure why, however, availability of alcohol in Denmark has not been all that restrictive and I think this has promoted a much healthier relationship to alcohol too.

TheSorcerer · Mon Mar 13, 2006 2:20 am

Probably because alcohol is such a rip off in scandinavia they want to take full advantage of the drinks service.
Dominic

CPH757 · Mon Mar 13, 2006 2:25 am

Quoting Scalebuilder (Reply 25):
I think I excluded Denmark in my earlier post as being typical of Scandinavian drinking mentality

Sorry...didn't catch the last paragraph, my appologies..

klmcedric · Mon Mar 13, 2006 2:32 am

Don't get me wrong here, this behavior is not bothering me, on the
contrary, as some members here pointed out, I as an FA give them two or three drinks and then I'm off the hook for a couple of hours.
I just wanted to know a little more about this undenieable phenomenon.
The problem is that at KLM, company policy is to only serve one drink
at a time, and some F/A's take this literally, thus dissapointing lot's of or
fellow scandinavian passengers. I think this little rule is ridiculous.
I'll give you as much booze as you want, till a certain point where I start
noticing signs of intoxication, then you won't get anything more from me.
Beware this is a very delicate and fine line to be treated differently with
every single passenger!
I must say though, two bottles of wine, a beer, and a JB-coke is reaching,
I had too gently denie this request!!!

747400F · Mon Mar 13, 2006 2:33 am

I think the explanation is one of what one is used to: On several flights with scandinavian airlines (SK/NB/DM) they encourage you to order all your beverages at once as it makes it easier for the crew. So I guess some pax think: "Well if some crew wants me to this - I'll do it everywhere!"

pelican · Mon Mar 13, 2006 3:04 am

Quoting Scalebuilder (Reply 8):

I think the Danish are different. They seem to be much more relaxed around alcohol than their two neigbors to the north are. Not sure why, however, availability of alcohol in Denmark has not been all that restrictive and I think this has promoted a much healthier relationship to alcohol too.

That's because they're on our site of the Vodka-Equator, while Swedes, Norwegians and also the Finns are on the other site. Nonetheless, I got the impression that even Danes (especially women) drink more than Germans when they go out.

Some weeks ago I sat in a waiting area at LPA amid tourists from Denmark and Sweden waiting for their flight to CPH. It wasn't already noon but many of these tourists had already started to drink...

Quoting CPH757 (Reply 23):
Exclude Denmark. Prices/availability here is equal to Germany.

Having suffered from high costs of booze during my studies in Copenhagen, I tend to disagree about the prices Wink

pelican

Bofredrik · Mon Mar 13, 2006 3:21 am

It is cheaper to buy a pint of bitter in Sweden
than in most pubs in the UK... drunk

eilennaei · Mon Mar 13, 2006 3:33 am

Read the statistic here (multilingual):
http://www.stakes.info/files/pdf/Tilastotiedotteet/Tt19_04.pdf
Interesting which nation has the greatest consumption, but the statistics will be distorted since they don't account for imports and home-made alcohol.

[Edited 2006-03-12 19:35:20]

hmmmm... · Mon Mar 13, 2006 3:47 am

Could it be a throwback to the Viking habit of raiding and hoarding? Or it could be that any beverage, except Vodka, is so expensive in Scandanavia, that they just hoard the stuff whenever possible.

SK973 · Mon Mar 13, 2006 4:17 am

Since I don't drink much alcohol when I'm flying I'll reply about the soft drinks KLMCedric asked about...

I usually order two or three drinks during meal service simply to have them available for the rest of the flight so I don't have to call the F/A again! Smile

sk909 · Mon Mar 13, 2006 4:23 am

Quoting Scalebuilder (Reply 8):
I think the Danish are different. They seem to be much more relaxed around alcohol than their two neigbors to the north are.

Haleluja... Smile

It is sooo true.

CPH757 · Mon Mar 13, 2006 4:38 am

Quoting Pelican (Reply 30):
Having suffered from high costs of booze during my studies in Copenhagen, I tend to disagree about the prices

they lowered the priced on spirits a couple of years ago quite drastically, perhaps it was before then? Beer goes from 0,2€ a bottle in supermarkets, not that bad either.

However, in pubs/bars it tend to be quite expensive, at least in weekends. But that has nothing to do with a strict alcohol legislation.

Anyway, the discussion was about our habits in flight. So despite the statistics, lets just conclude that we are more polite than the rest of you Big grin

ZakHH · Mon Mar 13, 2006 4:47 am

I couldn't help but grin when reading this thread.

First of all: I really like Scandinavia, and I feel very much at home in Denmark, Sweden and Finland. So I have certainly no intention to offend any Scandinavians. But I agree that the above described is a somewhat typical scandinavian habit. And no, it is not limited to alcohol.

An example from my favourite lunch restaurant in Helsinki. It is run by a French guy, and the food is outstanding. Lunch menu is €8, including a fresh salad and free tap water. And you get a freshly baked piece of delicious bread along with your meal.

However, the chef noticed that many customers would not eat the bread. So at some point he started to ask everybody if they wanted bread. No one said no. Still, almost 50% of all customers did not eat it.

As most of his customers are regulars, he soon started to memorize who always left the bread behind, and did not serve bread to these folks anymore. Guess what? They were annoyed - almost everyone demanded their bread, when they received a plate without it. They got it, they left it behind.

This seems to be some kind of "it's-free-so-I-try-to-get-as-much-as-I-can"-attitude. You may notice the same when visiting a buffet restaurant (pay once -> all you can eat), for example on Silja Line. It is always surprising how many Scandinavians leave half-empty plates behind, instead of just taking a little bit less from the buffet.

Certainly, this is not limited to Scandinavia. I have seen the same in US, Russia and Germany. And I guess it is thanks to a certain German habit that all ships between Germany and Scandinavia have signs in their buffet restaurants asking passengers not to bring plastic bags to the restaurant...

But this "it-is-included-so-I-want-to-have-it" is some sort of Scandinavian thing. Well, I can live with it. Smile

Mon Mar 13, 2006 4:50 am

And let's not forget that the soft drinks come in the tiniest of cans, and the beer is in a full 33 cl can Big grin

You have to order 2 cokes to get the amount of one normal can!
Besides, most flights today does not serve free booze, heck you usually won't get a bun with cheese for free.

Himmelstormer · Mon Mar 13, 2006 5:03 am

I don't know why everybody keeps saying that alchohol in Denmark is so expensive. Alchohol in supermarkets in both Britain(where I lived for over 4 years) and the US(where I go to 2-3 times a year), are much more expensive(and it's full of light beer. Who the hell wants to drink light beer!? I'll rather have a glass of water, then). What IS more expensive in Denmark, are drinks in bars, restaurant etc. I think it is important to make that distinction.

I think northern Europeans in general(not all), drink quite heavily. In Scandinavia, Norwegians and Swedes, in my opion, cannot always handle the freedom you have in Denmark when it comes to drinking and often order very strong stuff, like Carlsberg Elephant, as if everything that matters, is to get drunk as quickly as possible(not an attack on my fellow Scandos, I welcome you all Big grin

). But that is definitely my experience from having worked in 3 different hotels in Copenhagen over the last 5 years. Also, having spoken to a lot of Scandinavians staying at the hotels where I worked, they consider Denmark, and especially Copenhagen, as a sort of "free city of the North", with a much more laid-back attitude, particularly towards alchohol(also the drug-infested so-called 'free-commune' of Christania, added to that impression)

Quoting HS748 (Reply 18):
Well it could be a British thing but I would think it terribly rude to ask for more than one drink at a time!

I completely agree with you, I actually find it a bit vulgar and cheap when people flying for maybe no more than an hour, order several drinks or beers at the same time. It's very "Charterpax". Or maybe I am just an old tired snob bored

Starlionblue · Mon Mar 13, 2006 5:59 am

Quoting Bofredrik (Reply 7):
It is not expensive to buy alcohol in Sweden.
We can only buy it in special stores but
they are open all day and mon-sat.

? It is expensive, especially the strong stuff. And I always found the opening hours to be restrictive since the stores close at 1800 (6p) on weekdays.

Quoting Bofredrik (Reply 7):
"Systembolaget, the Swedish Alcohol Retail Monopoly, exists for one reason only: To minimize alcohol-related problems by selling alcohol in a responsible way, without profit motive. (We're supposed to make a certain profit, but if it's too big we have to lower our prices.)

This has worked well: Alcohol-related problems are smaller in Sweden than in comparable countries where alcohol is sold freely.

Has it now? That is sooo anectodal. But to add to the anectodes, in my experience countries that restrict alcohol sales to teens (US, Sweden, etc) tend to have more problems with teen drinking than countries that do not (Italy, France).

Quoting Bofredrik (Reply 7):
The Swedish model isn't always convenient for the consumer - the stores aren't open all night, and you won't find one on every corner.

No kidding.

Quoting Bofredrik (Reply 7):
But a majority of the Swedes are supportive. Partly because they appreciate our significance for the public health. And partly because they like our stores. (We offer one of the world's biggest selections of alcoholic beverages, and our employees really know their Chardonnays from their SauvignonBlancs.)"

Are a majority of Swedes supportive? Well I suppose in a poll they are. But most Swedes I have talked to will then whine about not being able to get hold of wine/beer/spirits when they want.

Systembolaget stores admittedly have a good selection, but they also have all the disadvantages of a monopoly: slow service (though improving in the newer self-service ones), selection that can't be affected by the customer (what if I want a special order?), high prices, less than helpful staff (although I will admit their knowledge is normally pretty good), no competition which would improve selection.

Sure, here in the Connecticut one liquor store doesn't have everything I want, but I have the choice of another 20 within a 10 minute drive, so selection is seldom a problem. Also if I want a case of something special, many stores will try to find it for me.

Growing up in Sweden, I didn't necessarily have a huge problem with Systembolaget per se, but the whole concept of a monopoly on a consumer commodity rubs me the wrong way.

As for Scandinavians who order a lot on board, I have definitely found this to be the case. Back in 1997 or so, I visited the cockpit of a BA 744 LHR-LAX. The pilots asked me how things were "back there". When I told them we ran out of booze they immediately exclaimed: "Must be full of Scandinavians then! Always happens..." In fact the two guys next to me were (also) Swedish and were full with whisky (and whiskey) to the gills by the time we had passed over Ireland.

TheSorcerer · Mon Mar 13, 2006 6:28 am

Quoting Bofredrik (Reply 7):
This has worked well: Alcohol-related problems are smaller in Sweden than in comparable countries where alcohol is sold freely.

But what happens when Swedish tourists arrive in a country where alcohol is cheap and freely available? Forgive me for using this example but it's like a dog on a tight lead that's not used to running around and then when the lead is taken off the dog goes crazy and runs and runs and runs. So when swedish tourists come to a country that sells alcohol cheaply and freely they'll take full advantage of it, often drinking too much.
Dominic

B707Stu · Mon Mar 13, 2006 7:26 am

I'm not sure I buy the tax issue, I think it's more the climate. I notice that colder climates have higher rates of alcoholism. I was amazed when taking an 8am MAN-ALC flight to watch the Brits in the pub going full force at 6am. I couldn't believe it. You just don't see that in any US city today.

Starlionblue · Mon Mar 13, 2006 7:40 am

Quoting B707Stu (Reply 42):
I'm not sure I buy the tax issue, I think it's more the climate. I notice that colder climates have higher rates of alcoholism. I was amazed when taking an 8am MAN-ALC flight to watch the Brits in the pub going full force at 6am. I couldn't believe it. You just don't see that in any US city today.

Climate and culture. Many of the US colonists were strongly religious in the stricter lutheran flavors. This has affected the culture immensely. Same in Northern Europe. Overt restraint is encouraged socially.

Starlionblue · Mon Mar 13, 2006 7:41 am

Quoting B707Stu (Reply 42):
I'm not sure I buy the tax issue, I think it's more the climate. I notice that colder climates have higher rates of alcoholism. I was amazed when taking an 8am MAN-ALC flight to watch the Brits in the pub going full force at 6am. I couldn't believe it. You just don't see that in any US city today.

Climate and culture. Many of the US colonists were strongly religious in the stricter lutheran flavors. This has affected the culture immensely. Same in Northern Europe. Overt restraint is encouraged socially.

AirPacific747 · Mon Mar 13, 2006 7:58 am

I am a Scandinavian, but I never order more than one drink at a time (sometimes I ask for two cokes because they are so small, but thats it)

CPH757 · Mon Mar 13, 2006 8:05 am

Another suggestion; We Scandinavians just have another interpretation of "fuel surcharge" than the rest of you...

heisan67 · Mon Mar 13, 2006 8:22 am

Well beeing a Norwegian myself, I've never really thought this over.

Most airlines in Norway actually ask passengers to order all their beverages at once in order to make it easier for the crew....this also could explain why this phenomena also happens when it comes to soft drinks. They used to announce this over the PA before starting to serve drinks.
I just think we take with us this when flying other airlines as well.

And some posts here state that it is expensive to buy alcohol in Sweden...then try buying in Norway..it's 50% more expensive than in Sweden...which also eplains why the largest state monopoly liqor store in Sweden is the one in Strømstad just over the border in Sweden....and 95% of the customers are crazy Norwegians....saving some money.

David L · Mon Mar 13, 2006 8:28 am

Quoting Starlionblue (Reply 40):
I always found the opening hours to be restrictive since the stores close at 1800 (6p) on weekdays.

I spent a few days in Tromso a few years ago. It was a great trip and I decided to try to find a nice liqueur I'd bought in Bergen a few years earlier. I asked at the tourist advice place where I could buy it and they gave me directions. As soon as they said "you can't miss it" I had an idea what was to follow! I must have walked past it four times and had to go back for more specific directions. It turned out to be the one with something completely inane in the widow, a vase of flowers or something. Sure, if you know you're looking for a completely anonymous looking shop with a vase of flowers on display, you can't miss it!

The second problem was that everything was behind a secure counter so you couldn't browse. I tried to describe the bottle (I couldn't remember what it was called) and gave up after a few attempts.

Maybe that's just the way Tromso is - I don't remember the one in Bergen being like that. Still, the rest of the trip was great - a bit different. Smile

birka340 · Mon Mar 13, 2006 8:46 am

I think we only have one word for this behavior: complimentary!
When it´s free - we (many of us) take it all. We are not used to complimentary drinks.

Many also "must do it": holiday = flying = drinks
Pass through an Scandinavian airport around 6 a.m when it`s time for a charter airline to depart - psgrs are in the bar drinkin beer and bitter - and it´s before breakfast!

(another behavior we in Scandinavia are talking about is the Germans reserveing their sunchairs with their towels by the pool long before daylight, but this is in another forum)

/B

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