Michael O'Leary, CEO of Ryanair, has called for a ban on alcohol sales in airports during the morning and proposed limiting passengers to two drinks each for the rest of the day. This comes in response to an increase in aggressive behaviour and incidents affecting Ryanair's daily operations.
Speaking to The Times, O'Leary highlighted that around a decade ago, the airline experienced about one flight diversion weekly due to passenger issues, whereas now such events occur nearly once daily. He questioned the rationale behind serving alcohol early in the day, stating, "I don’t understand why airport bars serve people at five or six in the morning. Who needs to drink beer at that hour?"
He warned that until a serious accident occurs, potentially causing a plane crash with multiple casualties, governments are unlikely to address this growing problem.
Ryanair has adopted a strict "zero tolerance" stance towards disruptive passenger conduct, implementing measures including €500 fines announced last year for offenders. The airline emphasises that it is "unacceptable" for passengers to endure unnecessary delays or disruptions caused by problematic individuals during flights.