According to Ryan Air, the number of disturbances by drunken passengers has increased in recent years – both at the airport, but also on board flights.
These days, there are weekly incidents of violence involving intoxicated travelers, especially when they have mixed alcohol with other drugs – something that has become increasingly common among the company’s passengers, according to Ryan Air CEO Michael O’Leary.
Security risk on board
Introducing a limit of no more than two drinks before a flight would reduce the problems, O’Leary believes. Because the violence and chaos from drunken people on board affects both other fellow passengers and the flight staff – and thus risks safety.
– We don’t want to begrudge people a drink, but while we don’t allow people to drink and drive, we let them be up in an airplane 10,000 meters above the ground, says Michael O’Leary to The Telegraph.
Delays at airports also make people drink more before departure.
– In the past, drunken passengers eventually fell asleep. But nowadays they also take other drugs. And the mix of drugs creates aggressive behavior that is difficult to manage, says O’Leary.
Difficult to identify drunk people
It is also difficult for airlines to identify intoxicated passengers at the gate, especially if they are boarding in a group. Some destinations, such as Ibiza and some Greek islands, are most affected.
– As long as they can stand up and hustle along, they will get through. Only when the plane is in the air do we see their bad behavior, says O’Leary.
Already in 2018, Ryan Air wanted to introduce an alcohol ban before flights, and a total ban on selling alcohol before 10 a.m. at airports. The background then was, among other things, that three drunken passengers on a flight from Dublin to Ibiza behaved so disruptively that the plane had to land in Paris, where the police took them into custody.