Ryanair, the Dublin-based ultra-low-cost airline, has called on airports to limit the amount of alcohol passengers are permitted to consume whilst in airports, as the airline attempts to recover €15,000 in costs after a flight was diverted due to an unruly passenger.
Airlines currently have the right to refuse boarding for passengers they deem to be intoxicated, however, the Irish airline wants passengers to show their boarding passes when purchasing alcohol before flights, both in bars and restaurants and in duty-free areas.
In a statement released on Monday, the airline said:
“We fail to understand why passengers at airports are not limited to two alcoholic drinks (using their boarding pass in exactly the same way they limit duty free sales), as this would result in safer and better passenger behaviour on board aircraft, and a safer travel experience for passengers and crews all over Europe.”
Earlier this month, an as yet unnamed passenger forced a Dublin to Lanzarote flight to be diverted to Porto Airport after behaviour the airline described as, ‘unacceptable’ and ‘inexcusable’. Ryanair is currently suing the passenger for €15,000 for costs, including overnight accommodation and other charges the airline would have been required to pay on arrival in Portugal.
In a separate statement, a spokesperson said:
“It is unacceptable that passengers – many of whom are heading away with family or friends to enjoy a relaxing summer holiday – are suffering unnecessary disruption and reduced holiday time as a result of one unruly passenger’s behaviour.”
A Rising Problem?
Incidents onboard aircraft are rare, however, a report published by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) found that, in 2023, there was one disruptive incident every 480 flights worldwide, up from one every 568 in 2022. Meanwhile, in the USA, the Federal Aviation Administration found that there had been 2,102 reports of ‘unruly behaviour’ last year.
In Ryanair’s case, being put through the Irish Courts, the airline is demanding €7,000 for the hotel costs of housing the passengers and crew, €2,500 in landing costs, as well as €1,800 for replacing the crew. They are also calling for the customer to pay €800 in excess fuel costs, along with €759 in lost in-flight sales and €2,500 in Portuguese legal fees.
The case continues. There is precedent for airlines suing unruly passengers: in June 2024, a Texas woman was sued for $81,950 for unruly behaviour during an American Airlines flight in 2021.
So is alcohol consumption getting worse at airports, or do the airports themselves need to be more proactive in making sure passengers do not get too intoxicated before boarding flights? Let us know in the comments below.
