Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary has called for a ban on alcohol sales at airports before early morning flights, arguing that the measure would significantly reduce the number of disruptive passengers on board aircraft. In an interview with The Times, O'Leary highlighted that Ryanair is now forced to divert an average of nearly one flight every day due to unruly behaviour, a sharp increase from just one diversion per week a decade ago.
O'Leary's Concerns Over Early Morning Drinking
O'Leary expressed bewilderment at the availability of alcohol in airport bars during the early hours. “I fail to understand why anybody in airport bars is serving people at five or six o’clock in the morning. Who needs to be drinking beer at that time?” he questioned. He noted that airside bars in the UK are not subject to the same licensing hour restrictions as other alcohol-selling venues, which he believes exacerbates the problem.
Proposed Two-Drink Limit
The Ryanair boss further proposed a two-drink limit for passengers at airports, stating that his airline rarely serves more than two drinks to any individual. He placed blame on airports for profiteering from early morning alcohol sales, saying, “The ones who are not responsible, the ones who are profiteering off it, are the airports who have these bars open at five or six o’clock in the morning and during delays are quite happy to send these people as much alcohol as they want because they know they’re going to export the problem to the airlines.”
Legal Consequences for Drunkenness on Flights
Being drunk on an aircraft is already a criminal offence in the UK, punishable by a fine of up to £5,000 and a maximum of two years in prison. Ryanair has taken a hard line against disruptive passengers, announcing in January last year that it had begun legal action to recover losses from incidents that force flight diversions. The airline filed a claim in Ireland for 15,000 euros (approximately £12,500) in damages from a passenger who caused a diversion on a flight from Dublin to Lanzarote.
O'Leary's comments come amid growing concern across the aviation industry about the rising frequency of disruptive incidents, which not only cause inconvenience but also incur significant costs for airlines and passengers alike.
