Ryanair proposes 2-drink limit at airports to tackle unruly passengers

[KENNEDY FELTON]

“I’m excited, I’m relaxed, and I’m ready to party!” This very scene from “Bridesmaids” is likely Ryanair’s worst nightmare.

That’s because Europe’s biggest airline is once again pushing for a two-drink limit at airport bars per Manchester Evening News, hoping to keep those pre-flight party vibes in check.

Michael O’Leary, the CEO of Ryanair, has been advocating for this policy for months. He told The Telegraph last year, “We don’t want to begrudge people having a drink but we don’t allow people to drink-drive – yet we keep putting them up in aircraft at 33,000 feet.”

Not everyone agrees with O’Leary’s stance, including a former Ryanair pilot talking to The Telegraph. But the airline is attempting to take a hardline approach. Just last week, Ryanair filed a legal claim against a passenger who disrupted a flight last year, resulting in an overnight delay for passengers and flight crew. The incident cost the airline more than 15,000 U.S. dollars in accommodation expenses.

The FAA received nearly 6,000 unruly passenger reports in 2021. While that number dropped to 2,100 last year, O’Leary believes limiting alcohol sales before boarding can help reduce it even further.

Ireland-based Ryanair already limits the number of alcoholic drinks per passenger on its flights. And under Irish law, passengers who breach the peace on flights face fines and, in some cases, imprisonment.