For many travelers, a glass of wine or a beer before boarding is almost an integral part of departure. But according to Ryanair that practice is becoming an increasingly serious problem for flight safety and management. The CEO of the Irish low-cost airline, Michael O’Leary, has asked to limit the sale of alcohol at airports, especially in the early hours of the morning, claiming that the number of incidents linked to noisy or drunk passengers is now out of control.
The company’s complaint: “Forced to divert flights due to harassing behavior”
In an interview with the British newspaper The TimesO’Leary explained that the company is now forced almost daily to divert flights due to aggressive or unmanageable behavior on board. A figure which, according to the manager, marks a clear worsening compared to ten years ago, when episodes of this type were much more sporadic.
In the sights of Ryanair’s number one there are above all airport bars open from the early hours of the day. O’Leary claims that it makes no sense to serve alcohol at five or six in the morning and accuses the airports of indirectly encouraging problematic situations in order to increase takings. According to the manager, airports would continue to sell drinks even during long delays, leaving airlines to deal with the consequences in flight.
This is why Ryanair is proposing new, stricter rules. The company already generally limits the number of alcoholic drinks served on board to individual passengers to two and would like to see a similar threshold applied at airports as well. O’Leary also called for airports to respect restrictions on alcohol sales hours similar to those placed on pubs and clubs outside airports. In the United Kingdom, in fact, airport bars enjoy more flexible rules than other commercial establishments.
A European debate
The issue of problem passengers has become increasingly central to the European airline sector. Being drunk on board a plane is a criminal offense in the UK and can lead to very heavy penalties, including fines and prison sentences. In recent years, several companies have reported an increase in incidents of verbal violence, attacks on crew and dangerous behavior during flights.
Ryanair itself has also started to take legal action. The company has announced that it intends to seek compensation from passengers responsible for diversions or delays caused by their behavior. In one of the first cases, the company initiated legal action against a traveler accused of having caused the diversion of a direct flight from the Canary Islands, requesting compensation of around 15 thousand euros for the costs incurred.
Other companies are also pushing for a crackdown. As reported by GuardianJet2, another major British low-cost airline, has proposed the creation of a shared database between carriers to identify and ban recidivist passengers involved in episodes of misconduct from boarding.
However, the debate divides operators and travellers. On the one hand there are those who believe it is necessary to intervene to avoid safety risks and increasing costs for companies. On the other hand there are those who fear that new limitations could