Michael O’Leary, the chief executive of Ryanair, has called for a ban on alcohol sales at airports before early morning flights, citing a rise in disruptive passenger behaviour. He stated that his airline now diverts nearly one flight per day due to such incidents, up from one per week a decade ago.
In an interview with the Times, O’Leary questioned the need for airport bars to serve alcohol at 5 or 6 a.m., noting that UK airport bars are exempt from standard licensing hour restrictions. He proposed that no alcohol should be served outside those hours and suggested a two-drink limit for passengers at airports.
O’Leary criticised airports for profiteering by selling alcohol during delays, exporting the problem to airlines. He emphasised that Ryanair rarely serves more than two drinks per passenger and did not specify whether the airline would restrict alcohol service on its flights.
Being drunk on a plane is a criminal offence in the UK, punishable by a fine of up to £5,000 and two years in prison. Ryanair began legal action against disruptive passengers last year, including a case seeking €15,000 in damages for a diverted flight from Dublin to Lanzarote.
The budget airline Jet2 recently called for a national database to enable airlines to jointly ban disruptive passengers, highlighting growing industry concern over in-flight behaviour.
