2024-08-29 10:34:38
The head of the Irish budget airline Ryanair complains about increasing violence and attacks on flight crew. The cause is often alcohol.
In the fight against violence and attacks on board aircraft, Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary is calling for a drink limit before departure. Travelers should be able to buy a maximum of two drinks at the airport per boarding pass, O’Leary told the British newspaper “Telegraph”. Cases of violence have increased sharply this summer, with attacks occurring almost weekly.
“It’s not that easy for airlines to identify drunk people at the gate, especially if they’re boarding with two or three others,” O’Leary said. “As long as they can stand and move, they’ll get through. It’s only when the plane takes off that misbehavior occurs.”
He doesn’t want to ban anyone from drinking. “But we don’t allow people to drive drunk, and yet we keep putting them on planes at 33,000 feet,” said the head of the Irish budget airline.
Alcohol-related incidents are particularly common on flights from the UK to destinations known as party spots, such as Ibiza or some Greek islands. In July, a British tourist was given a suspended sentence for sexual assault after groping a flight attendant on a Ryanair flight from Newcastle to Mallorca.
One reason for the increase is the combination of alcohol with “tablets and powder,” said O’Leary, referring to other drugs such as cocaine. But there are also problems on flights from Ireland or Germany.
The most difficult days are days with a lot of delays. “People hang around the airports and drink alcohol.” It is better to spend the waiting time drinking coffee or tea. “This is not an alcoholic outing.” His request has no effect on the revenue of the airport bars, O’Leary assured.