Introduce two-drink limit at airport bars to ensure flights aren’t disrupted by yobs, says Ryanair chief

Ryanair has reiterated its call to introduce a limit of two alcoholic drinks per passenger in airport bars.

The airline said such a policy would result in “a safer travel experience for passengers and crew.”

The airline announced last week that it was taking legal action to recover losses from passengers disrupting its operations, as part of a “major crackdown on misconduct.”

It said it had brought civil proceedings against a passenger in Ireland seeking 15,000 euros (£12,600) in damages in connection with a flight from Dublin to Lanzarote that diverted to Porto in April last year.

Ryanair claims the passenger’s behavior caused the diversion.

The 15,000 euros consists of costs such as overnight stays for the more than 160 passengers and six crew members (7,000 euros or £5,900), landing and handling costs at Porto Airport (2,500 euros or £2,100) and Portuguese legal costs (2,500 euros). or £2,100).

A Ryanair spokesperson said European governments “repeatedly fail to take action when disruptive passengers threaten the safety of aircraft and force them to divert.”

He continued: ‘It is time for the European Union authorities to take action to restrict the sale of alcohol at airports.

Ryanair has reiterated its call to introduce a limit of two alcoholic drinks per passenger in airport bars

‘Passengers are consuming excess alcohol at airports without any restrictions on purchase or consumption,’ Ryanair claimed (File image of a Wetherspoons pub at Stansted Airport)

‘Airlines such as Ryanair already limit and restrict the sale of alcohol on board our aircraft, especially in disruptive passenger cases.

“However, during flight delays, passengers consume excess alcohol at airports without any restrictions on purchase or consumption.

‘We do not understand why passengers at airports are not limited to two alcoholic drinks (by using their boarding pass in exactly the same way as they limit duty-free sales), as this would result in safer and better passenger behavior on board aircraft, and a safer travel experience for passengers and crews throughout Europe.’

Ryanair’s call for a two-drink limit was first made by CEO Michael O’Leary in August last year, when he reported an increase in disorder on flights.

O’Leary admitted that the budget airline saw a “spike” of violent disorder among its passengers over the summer, adding that flights to party hotspot Ibiza were often the noisiest.

He told Sky News it would be “happy to introduce the limit tomorrow”.

‘If the price of setting a drink limit at the airport where the problem is created involves a drink limit on board the aircraft, we have no problem with that.

‘The real problem is how to prevent these people from getting drunk at airports, especially as, like this summer, we have had a huge spike in air traffic control delays.

Pictured: Pubgoers at the Wetherspoon’s pub at Stanstead Airport last year

Wetherspoon boss Sir Tim Martin slammed the idea of ​​a two-drink limit at airports (stock photo)

‘They come on board with too much alcohol in their system. If we notice on board that they are drunk, we will not serve them alcohol. But that doesn’t solve the problem.’

But Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin hit back at O’Leary, claiming travelers are getting drunk on flights – rather than while waiting to board.

He also said his airport pubs have stopped offering ‘shooters’ and ‘double-up’ deals, which he said are still offered on flights.

The The Wetherspoon boss told MailOnline: ‘As far as I am aware, we have had no complaints about our pubs from the airport authorities or airlines in recent years.

‘Several years ago Wetherspoon stopped selling ‘shooters’ at airports, as well as ‘double-up’ offers, which some airlines, including Ryanair, still offer.

‘We understood that most of the problems then arose from incoming flights, which may have indicated fewer checks abroad.’