The first direct Air India Express flight from Surat to Bangkok on December 20 ran out of liquor mid-air as the ‘alcohol-starved’ passengers gulped alcohol, reportedly worth Rs. 1.8 lakhs, in no time. The cabin crew seemed helpless answering the request for more liquor and had to make an announcement that they had run out of alcohol. The airline has not made any statement on the same.
The first direct flight between the two cities was a ‘picnic’ of sorts with Gujarati snacks such as thepla and khaman and what-have-you passing hands. Passengers have shared videos of the first flight which shows some of them enjoying the free liquor available on international flights. The videos have gone viral attracting social media attention and reflecting how Gujarat, a state where prohibition exists, is crying for lifting of the ban. According to unverified reports, passengers consumed approximately 15 litres of premium alcoholic beverages, including Chivas Regal, Bacardi, and beer.
Air India Express, the low-cost subsidiary of Air India, a Tata Group company, began operations to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport from December 20th, with nonstop flights from Surat and Pune, utilising Boeing 737Max 8 aircraft, the flying time being four and a half hours from Surat.
The incident reignited the need to review the prohibition policy in Gujarat which in December 2023 had relaxed rules just in the GIFT (Gujarat International Finance Tech) City. The state government partially relaxed its 63-year old liquor prohibition law in an attempt to woo foreign investors and corporates to invest in GIFT city. The state government has allowed alcohol consumption in hotels, restaurants and clubs offering ‘wine and dine services’ in the GIFT City. Such exemption has never been granted in any area of the state in the past.
Prohibition has been in place ever since statehood in 1960, originally in the purview of the Bombay Prohibition Act, 1949, but now under the Gujarat Prohibition Act, 2011, following several amendments. Gujarat has seen a number of deaths due to illicit liquor and in 2009, it claimed 150 lives. In 2022, over 40 people died due to consumption of spurious liquor. The law states that there would be death penalty for those found guilty of making and selling spurious liquor in case there are deaths. The law allows for temporary and long-term drinking permits to foreigners, NRIs and tourists, with outlets and purchase limits specified. A resident can get a permit only on health grounds. At special economic zones, the government allows consumption against three-year permits.
Though there are voices urging the government to lift prohibition in a State which introduced the same as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, the State Government is caught in a ‘Gandhian-bind’.