Problem passengers need drinks limit
I’ M usually one to take Ryanair proposals with a degree of caution and ask first, ‘ as a customer, how much will this cost me?’ but I was impressed with their stance on the issue of intoxication in airports and on planes and their attempts to try and deal with the issue.
It doesn’t appear that Ireland is one of the problem areas for this but the airline has called for a two-drink maximum to be served in airports to any passenger.
The reason for this is increasing loutish and aggressive behaviour of passengers on flights, who insist on causing at best a nuisance and at worst very real danger to themselves and others while in the sky.
I thought the Panorama documentary on this was excellent and really highlighted the boozy antics of many while travelling and the fact that alcohol seems to be available at every turn.
There really seems to be minimum regulations on this and airport bars can freely sell drink after drink to travellers who then leave and become the airline’s problem once they commence their journey.
A sort of unfortunate acceptance of this drinking culture has crept in when it comes to certain holiday destinations - those perceived as ‘party central’ so therefore, to some the idea of getting trollied en route seems like a perfectly acceptable thing to do.
However, it is the poor airline staff and fellow passengers who have to put up with the consequences.
That documentary detailed incidents where drunken passengers have threatened to open the doors mid-flight and enter the cockpit. This goes way beyond being a bit rude or drinking too much.
If alcohol is the common denominator in so many of these incidents then it’s about time that the suggestions of airlines are taken seriously - for everyone’s sake.
If the type of worrying drunken behaviour was displayed by someone in a bar or restaurant, then other customers can either remove themselves or report it to the police.
However, up in the sky those options do not apply so it is left to the cabin crew and sometimes, fellow passengers to deal with threats and violent behaviour.
Unfortunately there will always be people who do not consider others and choose not to be responsible for their actions and it is because of them that tighter restrictions must be considered.