The leader of Ryanair expresses a desire to limit alcohol consumption by passengers.
In the battle against rowdy behavior and incidents on airplanes, Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary is advocating for a limit on drinks purchased at airports before boarding. According to the Telegraph, O'Leary suggested that passengers should be allowed to buy no more than two drinks using a single boarding pass. Incidents of violence have spiked this summer, with almost weekly assaults occurring.
Identifying drunk passengers at the gate can be challenging for airlines, especially when they're traveling with a group of people, O'Leary pointed out. "As long as they can stand and move, they make it onto the plane," he said. "It isn't until the plane takes off that the misconduct starts."
O'Leary doesn't want to eliminate drinks entirely. Instead, he compared the situation to driving under the influence, which is illegal, while passengers continue to board planes while intoxicated at 33,000 feet.
Alcohol-related incidents on party flights
There have been numerous instances of alcohol-fueled incidents on flights from the UK to popular party destinations, including Ibiza and certain Greek islands. In July, a British tourist was handed a probation sentence after sexually assaulting a flight attendant on a Ryanair flight from Newcastle to Mallorca, involving the consumption of alcohol and possibly other drugs like cocaine.
O'Leary attributed the increase in incidents to a combination of alcohol with "tablets and powders," presumably referring to drugs like cocaine. Nonetheless, problems also arise on flights departing from Ireland or Germany. Delays are particularly challenging, as passengers tend to spend their time at airports drinking alcohol instead of waiting with coffee or tea. In O'Leary's words, "This is not a booze cruises."
Despite his proposal, O'Leary insists that it will not negatively impact the earnings of airport bars.
The Commission has expressed concern over the rising incidents of intoxication and misconduct on flights, particularly on party flights to destinations like Ibiza and certain Greek islands. Following O'Leary's suggestion, the Commission is considering implementing stricter regulations for alcohol purchases before boarding to prevent such incidents.
