I flew out of Zurich yesterday and after the security screening I fancied a bottle of water, the water costs CHF5.00 per 0.5 ltr bottle for Evian. I overheard two brits at Marche saying ''I just paid 8 quid for two small bottles of water, what a rip off' I was determined not to pay CHF5, but I could stretch to CHF 2 Franks out of the vending machines, albeit I have to walk quite a way back to get a bottle of water and the water was a not a major brand, but quenched my thirst.
You can take out "apparently". The problem is in airports where the security screening takes place at the gate, such as Amsterdam. There's no place to fill the empty bottle up. Of course, you can ask on the flight and they will usually oblige.
I always have water for the kids In their respective bottles, they never had an issue with that. Only in the USA theY asked me to drink some and pass them under a test.
Heathrow T 1 and T5 both allow empty bottles through. I have only once had to had over an empty bottle - that being in Basel. Though, coming through T1 last month, I was asked "Is it empty?" as the security person looked at my upside down, transparent bottle, that had no lid on it.
I refill my bottle from the basin of the washrooms after security - works better in some airports than others as some taps disperse only warm/hot water.
I have never been refused when I have asked on a flight to have my personal water bottle filled, and it has always been filled with the chilled bottled water that comes around on the drinks cart.
I assume that it is deemed easier by the attendants to cheerfully fill even the largest bottles when asked rather than return to someone's seat multiple times to pour a scant 10 cl into a tiny plastic cup.
Now if I could just get them to do it with the wine, as well......
I think you are entitled to bring bottles of max 100ml with a maximum total of 1 liter in your hand luggage. You could be a bit creative and take 10 individual bottles.
I can, but the 5 year old I'm normally with will nag me into a coma if he's thirsty and, no, he won't listen to reason and take a drink when it's convenient before security.
I normally take a drink bottle through and fill it from the basin in the loos in Zurich airport.
I am always cautious about taking water for drinking from toilet washbasin taps.
I was always led to believe that buildings with many toilet facilities, and high mains water demand, used storage tanks high in the building, which gravity fed toilet cisterns and basin taps, because the mains water supply and pressure wouldn't be able to cope.
It was always joked that these water tanks were open at the top and had anything and everything relating to rats and pigeons floating in them.
Some places that I recall, that fall into the above scenario, had a separate tap marked "Drinking".
However, I have been reassured that all Swiss cold taps use mains water - I'm yet to be convinced.
We didn't have problems either until my son turned 5 years old. He was not considered a small child anymore and we were not allowed to brong water for him anymore.