Ryanair CEO pushes for airport alcohol limits to curb in‑flight violence

Michael O'Leary has called for alcohol limits at airports, according to the British press. The CEO of Ryanair wants to combat drunk passengers on board in this way. Outbreaks of aggression and violence on this airline's planes "happen every week." However, this issue also affects other airlines.

The topic has been covered by "The Telegraph," BBC, and "Independent," among others. According to O'Leary, passengers should be able to buy "no more than two alcoholic drinks" at the airport for their journey to reduce the number of antisocial behaviors and instances of violence. He stated that it is a plague.

"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," said O'Leary.

The airline can deny boarding to passengers showing signs of intoxication or already behaving inappropriately on the ground. Ryanair's CEO points out that it is not always easy to identify intoxicated individuals at the gate, especially when they are boarding as a group. "As long as they can stand up and shuffle, they will get through. Then, when the plane takes off, we see the misbehavior," he emphasized.

You would always have drunk passengers but drunk passengers generally fall asleep. Drunk passengers who are on powder and tablets get aggressive. It's the mix. You get much more aggressive behaviour that becomes very difficult to manage," said O'Leary.

The problem is recognized not only by Ryanair's CEO. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) warns that more problematic passengers have arrived since the COVID-19 pandemic. "The increasing trend of unruly passenger incidents is worrying," said Conrad Clifford, IATA's Deputy Director General, at last year's World Air Transport Symposium in Istanbul. The three most common categories of offenses are:

• non-compliance with regulations and instructions,
• verbal abuse,
• intoxication from alcohol or other substances.

Incidents involving physical violence are still rare. However, between 2021 and 2022, their number globally increased by 67%.

"No one wants to stop people from having a good time when they go on holiday, but we all have a responsibility to behave with respect for other passengers and the crew. For the sake of the majority, we make no apology for seeking to crack down on the bad behavior of a tiny number of travelers who can make a flight very uncomfortable for everyone else," O'Leary said on the Money.pl program. The cabin crew can then approach and point out the loud behavior. What happens next depends on the reaction.