Ryanair Pushes For Airport Alcohol Limits In Europe After Passenger Lawsuit Drama

In April 2024, a Ryanair flight from Dublin to Lanzarote had to make a pit stop in Portugal after a passenger was acting out, presumably after having had a few too many. This led to over 160 passengers and crew members being delayed overnight, which cost the airline a pretty penny. Ryanair is now seeking more than €15,000  ($15,650) in damages to cover expenses incurred because of the situation, such as excess fuel, accommodations, and legal fees.

Ryanair is also urging EU authorities to start enforcing a drink limit for passengers at airport bars and restaurants. While you'd think taking it easy on the booze would be common sense, it's more of an unspoken rule of airplane etiquette that some people ignore. Ryanair is arguing that limiting airport drinks using a passenger's boarding pass (with the suggested limit being two drinks) would lead to safer and more responsible passenger behavior onboard the plane, making the trip smoother for everyone involved.

It's no surprise this issue has come up, given the growing concerns in the industry over the rise in unruly passengers disrupting flights. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has noted an increase, with one incident for every 480 flights in 2023, up from one every 568 flights just one year prior. For the safety and experience of passengers, it's common courtesy to behave when drinking and flying. And if you do drink during your flight, there are some drinks flight attendants wish you would stop ordering — like complicated cocktails. Remember: it's a plane, not a bar.

Sure, you might be able to take mini alcohol bottles through TSA, but you're not allowed to drink them on the plane — there are strict rules regarding alcohol service, and a big part of that is to prevent these kinds of drunken disruptions. Ryanair's push for stricter airport alcohol policies is part of a larger movement in the aviation industry among workers who are fed up with dealing with intoxicated passengers. Ryanair and some other airlines have already implemented rules, like limiting in-flight alcohol sales and training crew members to identify and manage potential disruptions.

However, the lack of standardized regulations across European airports means passengers can still consume too much booze before boarding, especially when they're hanging out at the airport bar during longer flight delays or layovers. To prevent these drunk and disorderly incidents from continuing to rise, it seems there needs to be a more unified approach to alcohol consumption in airports across the board.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has acknowledged that the issue has been getting worse since 2020. While specific steps forward haven't yet been decided, Ryanair's recent legal action may just push regulators to consider establishing more comprehensive guidelines for serving drinks in the airport.