It was 6 a.m. at Reagan National Airport when a man walked up to a glowing restaurant as a server moved a barrier to open for the day. He was not there for the chia seed pudding or the breakfast burrito.

“Are you serving alcohol?” the man asked. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

It must have been his first rodeo; every seasoned traveller knows the answer is “yes.”

This is the airport bar. The clock is there to tell you when your flight leaves, not to dictate how you eat and drink.

“You’re in international waters when you’re at an airport bar,” said Sother Teague, beverage director of Amor y Amargo in New York, who’s worked in bars for more than 26 years. “It’s OK to drink at 6 a.m. … You’re about to get on a plane. Maybe that’ll soften your ride

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