© picture alliance/dpa/MAXPPP | Nicolas Landemard / Le Pictorium
Michael O'Leary, CEO of Ryanair, is calling for a ban on the sale of alcohol at airports during the early hours of the morning. He points to a dramatic increase in disruptive behavior among passengers.
In an interview with British newspaper The Times, he says his airline now has to divert almost one flight a day because of drunk and aggressive passengers. Ten years ago, that only had to happen once a week. O'Leary warns that without government intervention, it may take a fatal accident before the problem is taken seriously.
O'Leary argues that airports bear a great responsibility, since bars in airports are allowed to serve alcohol around the clock. He calls for a limit of two drinks per passenger and wants airport licensing rules to be brought in line with those for regular bars. On board Ryanair's planes, passengers are generally limited to two drinks.
He says the problem is exacerbated by the combination of alcohol and drug use, making passengers even more aggressive. He notes that women are as often involved as men, and that certain routes, particularly to Ibiza, Alicante and Tenerife, are particularly problematic.
Figures from the UK Civil Aviation Authority show that there are about 400 more disruptive incidents each year compared to pre-pandemic levels. Currently, passengers who cause a fuss on board risk fines of up to nearly 6,000 euros and two years in jail. Rerouting a plane to another airport often costs an airline more than 90,000 euros.
Picture: © picture alliance/dpa/MAXPPP | Nicolas Landemard / Le Pictorium