Looking for a lift before we lift-off

New Zealanders drink up large before boarding a flight and half of parents admit they have a tipple to help ease the strain of travelling with kids, a survey shows.

A poll for Cheapflights.co.nz finds locals consume almost two drinks on average at the airport, spending $17.40 each visit on alcohol — which adds up to about $43.6 million a year.

One in 10 drink before 9am and 49 per cent admitted hitting the bottle to make the prospect of travelling with their kids more bearable.

Of those surveyed, 15 per cent said they had had “one too many” before getting on a plane, with the offenders most likely to be 30 to 44-year-olds.

Beer is the men’s pick (54 per cent) and wine for women (41 per cent).

According to the first #AirportLife online survey of 308 Kiwis, almost half (46 per cent) of Kiwi travellers wet their whistle before take off.

North Islanders (48 per cent) are more likely to have a pre-flight drink than South Islanders (38 per cent).

And 37 per cent had their first preflight drink before noon, with one in 10 (13 per cent) drinking before 9am. Of the pre-noon tipplers, 47 per cent were men and 24 per cent women.

Flyers aged 30 to 44 were most likely to drink (55 per cent), followed by 45- to 59-year-olds (44 per cent).

The #AirportLife research of those who travelled domestically or internationally is part of a wider campaign that explores airport behaviour,

Nathan Graham, regional sales manager at Cheapflights ANZ, said it was “astounding” to see the number of people who opt for a drink as soon as they arrive at the airport, no matter the time of day. “It seems the airport is a place where the normal rules of life are suspended.”

Reasons for drinking were less surprising. “After the stress of packing, getting to the airport and queuing through security, 58 per cent of respondents said it was a way to celebrate and kick off the holiday.”

Three-quarters (73 per cent) said it was a way to kill time.

And 7 per cent said they, or someone they knew, couldn’t board because they’d had too much alcohol.

But more Brits, Aussies and Americans than Kiwis enjoy a drink while travelling — 62 per cent, 60 per cent and 49 per cent respectively.