Ryanair, the European low-cost airline, is urging EU authorities to impose a limit of two alcoholic drinks per passenger at airports. This request follows an incident involving a disruptive passenger that cost the airline over $18,200. The costs included excess fuel, accommodation for passengers and crew overnight, legal fees, and other expenses after a flight was diverted to Porto Airport.
The Dublin-based carrier is pursuing civil proceedings against the passenger in Ireland to recover these costs. A spokesperson for Ryanair stated, "It is time that EU authorities take action to limit the sale of alcohol at airports. Airlines, like Ryanair, already restrict and limit the sale of alcohol onboard our aircraft." The spokesperson emphasized that limiting airport alcohol sales would lead to safer behavior onboard.
Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary has also spoken out about violent incidents related to alcohol consumption on flights. He noted that such occurrences are frequent and pose challenges in identifying intoxicated passengers during boarding.