Early boozing at airport may stop
THE early-morning drink in the departure lounge could soon be no more. The Gov- ernment is looking to crack down on drunk and disruptive behaviour at airports and on flights by limiting the hours that passengers can drink alcohol.
This summer more than 140 people saw their flight from Bristol to Prague cancelled as the result of the behaviour of a group of men from Wales on a stag do.
This led to easyJet saying it wants to ban passengers from drinking duty-free alcohol on planes and in airports.
Bristol Airport wants to prevent drunk passengers from boarding planes too.
The Home Office launched a review today into whether to extend high street licensing laws into departure halls and terminals, which would see pubs, restaurants and duty-free shops forced to delay serving alcohol until 10am.
Under current rules, sales of alcohol beyond the security gates at international airports in England and Wales are not regulated by these laws.
A survey by the Unite union of 4,000 cabin crew previously found that 87% of staff from British-based airlines witnessed drunken passenger behaviour at UK airports or on flights from UK airports in August 2017.
Travellers already face up to two years in prison or an unlimited fine for drunken behaviour on an aircraft.
The Government is asking members of the public for their views on whether introducing these laws could help tackle the problem in a three-month call for evidence.
This comes after a House of Lords Select Committee recommended airside outlets which sell and supply alcohol to passengers should comply with the same licensing rules as elsewhere.
Home Office Minister Victoria Atkins said: “Air travel often marks the start of an exciting holiday abroad and airports are places to eat, drink and shop as we wait to board our flights.
“Most UK air passengers behave responsibly when flying, but any disruptive or drunk behaviour is entirely unacceptable. This Government is committed to ensuring that the travelling environment for airline passengers remains safe and enjoyable.
“This is an excellent opportunity for all interested parties to engage directly with us, inform our understanding of the problem and identify suitable solutions.”