Ryanair boss calls for booze ban on early morning flights

Michael O’Leary has said alcohol should be banned before all early takeoffs.

The Westmeath man has said the sale of all alcohol should be banned ahead of early morning flights.

This comes as poorly behaved passengers are allegedly causing problems for the airline, including forcing flights to divert.

Main causes for concern are certain common routes to and from holiday destinations, such as Ibiza, Alicante and Tenerife, as well as some Irish routes.

Currently, airport pubs and restaurants are allowed to serve alcohol any time of the day as they don’t fall under the same licensing rules as regular businesses.

Speaking to The Times, O’Leary revealed: “It’s becoming a real challenge for all airlines.

“I fail to understand why anybody in airport bars is serving people at five or six o’clock in the morning. Who needs to be drinking beer at that time?”

The businessman has called for a two-drink cap over the years, which he claims the airline follows onboard its planes.

“We are reasonably responsible but the ones who are not responsible, the ones who are profiteering off it, are the airports who have these bars open at five or six o’clock in the morning and during delays are quite happy to send these people as much alcohol as they want because they know they’re going to export the problem to the airlines.”

Additionally, he has revealed the problem is worsening, adding that previously the airline would see about one diverted flight per week, which has now increased to ‘one diversion a day’.

In a serious warning, O’Leary stated: “Until somebody creates an accident that causes a plane to crash and kills hundreds, no government will take this problem seriously and airlines are tearing their hair out.”

Intoxicated plane passengers can face penalties of up to two years in prison, as well as hefty fines up to £5,000.

Just last year, Ryanair announced it would be taking legal action against disruptive passengers who caused a diversion in order to recover losses, and filed proceedings against an Irish passenger, seeking €15,000 (£12,500) in damages caused on a flight from Dublin to Lanzarote.