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Ryanair repeats call for ‘draconian’ restrictions on airport alcohol sales
Ryanair has repeated its call for a two-drink per passenger cap on alcohol sales at airports after a flight from Dublin to Ibiza had to be diverted to Paris when three passengers became disruptive.
The airline is also calling for a complete ban on alcohol sales at airports before 10am.
"It is incumbent on the airports to introduce these preventative measures to curb excessive drinking and the problems it creates, rather than allowing passengers to drink to excess before their flights," said Ryanair in a statement.
"It’s completely unfair that airports can profit from the unlimited sale of alcohol to passengers and leave the airlines to deal with the safety consequences."
Three passengers were removed from its flight when it landed at Paris Beauvais airport on Saturday and detained by French police.
Ryanair claims that it sells little alcohol on its flights, which are all shorthaul, but is said crew are trained to deal with customers’ alcohol intake.
The airline first called for restrictions on alcohol sales at airports last August after claiming that CAA figures showed a 600% rise in disruptive behaviour on flights since 2012.
While it admitted the behaviour of some passengers on Ryanair’s flight on Saturday was ‘clearly unacceptable’, it described Ryanair’s proposed alcohol restrictions as ‘draconian’.
Ironically, Ryanair was accused of encouraging binge drinking this month due to its social media campaign aimed at students, in which it uses a photo of a man lying on a beach next to an empty bottle.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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