Fifteen plus hours on a plane is a lot of time to kill and, as great as the in-flight entertainment is, sometimes you need something more exciting to do to pass the time. So why not pack your very own mini bar kit  — with an emphasis on mini — and mix up some of your favourite cocktails mid-flight?

With a tiny bit of planning, five minutes of kitchen prep and A LOT of charm, it’s entirely possible to be a mile-high mixologist — we did the fieldwork to prove it. We managed to mix up a classic mojito, michelada (Mexican bloody mary), old fashioned and even a fancy G&T on a flight between Joburg and Paris.

What did we need the charm for? For the air hostess, of course. You’re going to be a fairly demanding passenger with all your requests from the on-board drinks trolley.

BEFORE YOU FLY: ASSEMBLE YOUR MINI BAR KIT

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

Ingredients

• 1 lime
• 1 orange
• Tiny plastic containers with lids
• Fresh mint leaves
• Celery tops
• Bitters
• Tiny empty bottle
• A bottle of Tabasco sauce