Blogger's guide to which airlines serve free alcohol

If ever there was a situation that justified a nerve-calming cocktail, it's being trapped inside a metal tube with 300 other passengers who want nothing more than to get off the plane.

It's that sort of situation that inspired travel editor and blogger Erica Ho to take the trouble to compile a list of airlines that serve free alcohol in economy class.

You can find the list on maphappy.org.

It's a simple chart showing which carriers pour free booze and which don't. Ho called every airline on the list to confirm the information.

Which airlines serve free alcohol?

Alco-airlines at a glance.Drinkers should avoid U.S. airlines for starters, says Ho.

All U.S. carriers except American Airlines and Delta -- which offer beer and wine on long-haul international routes -- registered a throat-parching "No" for free alcohol for both domestic and international flights.

Many airlines provide alcohol for international flights but not domestic -- Air Canada, Finnair, Turkish Airlines, to name three.

“A lot of the airlines didn't say why drinks were included on international flights and not for domestic,” says Ho. “This is probably because revenue from international fares contributes a great deal more to an airline's bottom line, especially business passengers.

“Anyways, I'm not complaining. You might need a drink to knock yourself out if you're stuck for 12 hours in what's basically a space capsule with 300 other people!”

Ho adds a final note, urging passengers to drink responsibly, pointing out that "dehydration happens faster in a pressurized cabin than at a keg party."

Do you think airlines should provide free alcohol onboard? Let us know in the comment section.