Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary calls for two-drink cap at airports amid rise in disturbances on flights

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has called for a two-drink cap at airports as in-flight disturbances are on the rise.

In comments given to the Daily Telegraph, Mr O’Leary noted that violent outbursts have become a weekly occurrence during the summer season. This has become even more prominent when alcohol is mixed with “powder and tablets.”

Furthermore, due to this behaviour, he mentioned instances of assaults on cabin crew and confrontations between passengers.

Just last month, a British national was convicted of sexually assaulting a flight attendant on a Ryanair flight from Newcastle to Majorca, in 2023. He had touched the attendant without consent after faking credit card issues.

Meanwhile, last year a man was also arrested on suspision of sexually assaulting an air hostess and spitting on her supervisor on a Jet2 flight from Manchester to Ibiza. In addition, four men were removed from an easyJet plane from Manchester to Tenerife which was diverted to Lanzarote after violent clashes.

“It’s not that easy for airlines to identify people who are inebriated at the gate, particularly if they are boarding with two or three others. As long as they stand up and shuffle they will get through. Then when the plane takes off we see the misbehaviour,” he said.

Mr O’Leary noted that while the he does not wish to “begrudge” people having a drink he doesn’t understand how people are not allowed to drink and drive, yet they are allowed to drink in an aircraft under the influence at 33,000 feet above ground.

He noted that airports will certainly be opposed to this cap as they would not serve drunken passengers. “But they do serve the relatives of the drunken passenger,” he added.

Nonetheless, he emphasised that this proposal will not affect profits as bars in airports can still sell drinks and food. “And yet government agencies in the UK and across Europe don’t take it seriously,”he stated.

Flights from the United Kingdom have frequent episodes of violence especially in flights to Ibiza and certain Greek Islands from Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

In light of this,  Ryanair has taken the initiative to search bags of passengers on their way to Ibiza prior to boarding their flight.

“We used to only allow them to take bottles of water on board, not realising they were full of vodka. Now we don’t even allow them to take those,” Mr O’Leary said.

In his final remarks, Mr O’Leary noted that the biggest challenge is faced during delays where passengers are left to wander around the airport.

“Most of our passengers show up an hour before departure. That’s sufficient for two drinks. But if your flight is delayed by two or three hours you can’t be guzzling five, six, eight, ten pints of beer. Go and have a coffee or a cup of tea. It’s not an alcoholics’ outing,” he concluded.