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18th Jun 2018

Ryanair calls on airports to limit drink sales after disruptive passengers cause flight to divert

Kate Demolder

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The budget-airline has called for restrictive access to alcohol to avoid further disruptions.

Ryanair has called for a two-drink limit and a pre-10am alcohol ban following an incident which saw a group of drunken Ireland-based airline passengers force a flight bound for Ibiza to divert to Paris on Saturday morning.

It’s understood that three passengers, who were travelling in a big group, became unruly as the flight left Dublin. Their disruptive and disorderly behaviour left the pilot and cabin crew no choice but to change the flight route to Paris Beauvais, where French police were waiting on the runway.

The three passengers were then removed and detained by French police on arrival.

The airline has since called on airports to limit drink sales pre-flights in an attempt to curb such harmful and disruptive behaviour. In a statement released by the airline, a spokesperson stated that the safety of their customers is paramount.

“This flight from Dublin to Ibiza (16 June) diverted to Paris Beauvais after three passengers became disruptive inflight,” the statement began.

“The aircraft landed normally and the passengers were removed and detained by police upon arrival, before the aircraft continued to Ibiza. We will not tolerate unruly or disruptive behaviour at any time and the safety and comfort of our customers, crew and aircraft is our number one priority. This is now a matter for local police.”

They continued by saying that instances like this are precisely the reasons for the implementation of the new ban.

“This is exactly why we are calling for significant changes to prohibit the sale of alcohol at airports, such as a two-drink limit per passenger and no alcohol sales before 10am.

“It’s incumbent on the airports to introduce these preventative measures to curb excessive drinking and the problems it creates, rather than allowing passengers to drink to excess before their flights.”

The flight, scheduled to take-off at 8.50am on Saturday morning from Dublin, continued to Ibiza from Paris Beauvais, where it landed two hours and 40 minutes later than previously expected.

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