Brits back Ryanair calls for two drink limit at UK airports
Brits overwhelmingly back a two drink limit at UK airports to stop drunken passengers disrupting flights, a new survey has found.
Yasper Communications agency polled more than 2,500 people and found 60.7 per cent either agreed or agreed strongly with the idea.
Only 10.8 per cent of Brits disagreed or disagreed strongly with the introduction of a limit.
The results come amid mounting pressure from Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline, for a change to the rules after a string of incidents on its flights.
One of the Irish airline’s flights to Rhodes in Greece was plunged into chaos two weeks ago when flight attendants were forced to strap an “unruly” passenger to his seat using spare belts, after confiscating two bottles of booze from him.
Industry data shows incidents in the UK tripled between 2019 and 2022 to over 1,000 per year, alongside a worldwide increase of more than half between 2021 and 2022.
Ryanair’s chief executive, Michael O’Leary, said last year he had seen a “spike” in violent disorder among passengers over the summer, with destinations like Ibiza the worst impacted.
Flight diversions and other emergencies can lead to higher costs for airlines and at its most extreme, present a danger to life.
But selling drinks at the departure gate and on board is a big source of revenue for airlines and firms such as Wetherspoons, whose chief executive Tim Martin has come out strongly against any suggestion of a limit.
A spokesperson for Ryanair said it was “not surprised” that passengers supported its calls, “which would help reduce disruptive passenger behaviour and ensure a more comfortable travel experience for both passengers and crew.”
Julian Pearce, managing director at Yasper, argued it was time for change. “A drinking culture that may have existed ten or twenty years ago is not a reflection on modern society.
“Recent figures have estimated that some 20 per cent of British adults don’t drink alcohol at all. Whether that be for health, lifestyle or religious reasons, this group of consumers deserves attention.
“In such a safety critical industry, consideration of a more collegiate approach to alcohol sales needs support from industry, government, airlines and airports.
He added: “It cannot be right that thousands of flights are disrupted worldwide every year, due to the poor behaviour of a minority, which is why it’s so important that sector leaders should work together on enhanced safeguards that will protect the travelling public yet not inhibit the huge majority of law-abiding citizens.”