Inebriated passengers are able to board planes as along as they can “stand up and shuffle”, Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary said as he called for a two-drink limit at airports to curb what he says is an increase in violence and anti-social behaviour on flights.
The airline chief executive blamed a mix of alcohol, powder and tablets on the rise of such behaviour on flights, including to party destinations such as the Greek islands and Ibiza.
“In the old days, people who drank too much would eventually fall over or fall asleep. But now those passengers are also on tablets and powder,” Mr O’Leary told the Daily Telegraph.
“It’s the mix. You get much more aggressive behaviour that becomes very difficult to manage.”
Mr O’Leary said crew members and other passengers have become targets with delays adding to the problem with longer drinking times at airports.
He said outbreaks of violence are now happening weekly on flights, adding it is difficult to identify inebriated individuals, particularly if there are in a group.
“As long as they can stand up and shuffle they will get through. Then when the plane takes off we see the misbehaviour,” Mr O’Leary said.
“We don’t want to begrudge people having a drink. But we don’t allow people to drink-drive, yet we keep putting them up in aircraft at 33,000 feet.”
Bags are searched by staff ahead of flights to Ibiza, while among the worst affected are those to the Greek islands, he said.
In a policy statement, the airline states: Ryanair states: “Customers will not be allowed to carry alcohol on board and all cabin baggage will be searched at the boarding gates.
“Any alcohol purchased in airport shops or elsewhere must be packed carefully in a suitable item of cabin baggage, which will be tagged at the gate and then placed in the aircraft hold free of charge if you have purchased priority boarding or have a small piece of hand luggage.
“If the bag is unsuitable for placing in the hold (e.g. plastic bag) then customers will be required to dispose of the alcohol in the bins provided.”
