Airline CEO Wants Stricter Alcohol Limits Before Flying
People traveling by plane should not be allowed to have more than two alcoholic drinks at the airport before flying, says Michael O'Leary, the CEO of Irish airline Ryanair.
O'Leary said many people are drinking too much — as well as taking drugs — and causing problems when they get on the plane.
He said that violent incidents in the air are happening as often as once a week, although he did not support this with any data.
On social media, some travelers have posted videos of themselves finding ways to take extra alcohol on board.
Some showed themselves pouring duty-free alcohol into their own plastic bottles so they could take it onto the plane.
O'Leary said that on some flights his staff have stopped people from boarding with water bottles because some passengers have been filling them with clear alcohol that looks like water.
On some flights to destinations known for their nightlife, like the Spanish island of Ibiza and some Greek islands, Ryanair staff have begun searching people's bags to check for alcohol, according to O'Leary.
He said that people should be made to show their boarding pass if they want to buy alcoholic drinks at an airport bar, and they should not be allowed more than two — especially when flights are delayed.
Airport staff can stop passengers getting on a plane if they look like they've drunk too much alcohol, but O'Leary said that if people are able to stand up and walk onto the plane, they're usually allowed to fly.
People are also usually allowed to buy alcohol while they're flying.
One owner of a UK pub chain that runs bars in a number of airports said there was "no perfect solution" to the problem.
