According to airline data, incidents on board are becoming increasingly frequent, with drunk passengers causing problems and making flight detours necessary. Michael O'Leary is therefore calling for restrictions on the serving of alcohol at the airport - primarily in the morning.
You know the picture; passengers sitting at the gate early in the morning with a mug of beer while you sip your coffee. But Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary doesn't seem to like the morning alcohol consumption at airports. Passengers, who are often already drunk before boarding a flight, are increasingly becoming a major problem, reports The Times. The CEO calls for restrictions and new rules.
He told The Times that there were increasingly frequent disruptions, which in extreme cases even necessitated a flight detour. Compared to the past, the situation has worsened considerably; while around ten years ago, around one detour per week was necessary, there are now incidents of this kind almost every day.
O'Leary is particularly critical of the serving of alcohol at airports - especially during the earliest morning hours. In his view, sales outside regulated pub opening hours in the UK should be significantly restricted or banned altogether.
The airline boss also suggests an additional limit: a maximum of two alcoholic drinks per passenger should be allowed at airports, to be checked on the boarding pass.
Ryanair had already announced last year that it would demand a penalty payment of 500 euros from affected passengers in the event of serious misconduct if they were excluded from the flight.
The airline initially did not respond to questions about when alcohol would be sold on board. O'Leary also emphasized to The Times that his company was acting responsibly - in his view, the real problem lay in the handling at the airports.
