Air travel has revolutionized global connectivity, offering unmatched speed and convenience.
Yet, as the number of passengers grows, managing behavior onboard has become increasingly challenging.
Incidents related to alcohol consumption remain a persistent concern for airlines.
Ryanair, one of Europe’s largest budget airlines, is pushing for stricter alcohol regulations in airports.
Disruptive Drunk Passengers
This appeal follows ongoing issues caused by disruptive passengers and the airline’s pursuit of $16,000 (approximately £12,600) in damages from one traveler whose behavior caused a costly flight diversion.
Ryanair is urging authorities across Europe to introduce new rules aimed at curbing alcohol misuse before passengers board planes, according to Digi24.
The airline has proposed that airports require passengers to show boarding passes when purchasing alcoholic beverages at bars, similar to controls in place for duty-free alcohol sales.
Additionally, Ryanair is advocating for a two-drink limit per passenger to curb excessive consumption.
Ryanair has linked delays at airports to increased alcohol-related problems, which they argue create risks for both passengers and crew.
The company has detailed significant financial losses caused by disruptive incidents. In one instance, a flight from Dublin to Lanzarote was diverted to Porto after an intoxicated passenger disrupted operations.
This diversion resulted in hotel costs of $7,700 (approximately £6,100) for 160 passengers and crew, $2,750 (approximately £2,200) in landing and handling fees, and $2,000 (approximately £1,600) in expenses to replace the crew.
While flight crews have the authority to deny alcohol service to passengers during flights, Ryanair insists that stricter rules are needed at airports.
Operating thousands of flights daily in 37 countries, the airline believes that addressing excessive alcohol consumption before boarding is critical to ensuring safety.
