Ryanair's top honcho, Michael O'Leary, advocates for curbing alcohol intake amongst flyers.
In his crusade against unruly conduct and incidents on airliners, O'Leary suggests restricting pre-flight booze sales within airports. According to him, each passenger should only be permitted to buy two drinks using a single boarding pass. This summer has seen a surge in violent episodes, with near-weekly altercations being reported.
Pinpointing intoxicated passengers at check-in can be a challenge, especially when they're traveling in groups, O'Leary admitted. As long as they can ambulate with ease, they're allowed to board. However, O'Leary explained, troubles often arise once the plane ascends above the clouds.
O'Leary isn't advocating for a teetotalism policy but rather drawing parallels to the regulation of alcohol consumption while driving. While passengers can still imbibe, O'Leary believes, it's akin to not permitting individuals to drive while under the influence, but they're still allowed to fly at an altitude of 33,000 feet or so.
Alcohol-triggered rowdiness on party-centric flights
Disruptive behavior is a recurring issue on flights from the UK to popular party hotspots, such as Ibiza and certain Greek islands. For instance, a British traveler received a suspended sentence for abusing a flight attendant on a Ryanair flight from Newcastle to Mallorca in July.
This trend, O'Leary believes, is due to alcohol augmented by "pills and powders," an apparent reference to other drugs, such as cocaine. However, instances of such conduct also occur on flights departing from Ireland or Germany. Days that witness multiple flight delays are the toughest for flight crews. During such wait times, passengers might resort to consuming alcohol while they idle at airports. Instead, O'Leary recommends enjoying coffee or tea instead. Implementing stricter drinking policies at airports may not harm airport bars' profits, his proposition suggests.
Airline corporations should ponder over stricter alcohol policies at airports to minimize disruptive behavior, Michael O'Leary, Ryanair CEO, recommends. O'Leary's proposition, which includes limiting pre-flight alcohol sales, aims to reduce alcohol-fueled incidents onboard aircraft.
[1] Source: UK Travel Retail Forum (UKTRF) [4] Source: CNN Travel
