‘IT’S A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN’

Journalist Joan Mcfadden, 63, lives in Glasgow with her husband and two younger children, both students. Checking in for our 5am flight from Prestwick airport to Palma in July 2014, I was trying to keep my four children from falling asleep in the departure lounge.

But they were suddenly wide awake as the sound of screaming filled the room. We leapt to our feet in horror, only to realise that this wasn’t an emergency. No, instead, it was a man who had seemingly started his holiday early – too early – by downing copious amounts of alcohol. As his wife and children tried to calm him down, he could barely stand. I was gobsmacked when he was allowed to board the three-hour flight. And when on board, he chatted incomprehensibly and loudly through the cabin crew’s safety demonstration, constantly demanded alcohol and screamed at his poor family again. Nearly 20 years later, on a seven-hour flight from Dubai, I watched my daughter deal with another drunken idiot – this time in her role as cabin crew. I know they’re well trained to cope in emergencies, but why make emergencies more likely by supplying alcohol in airports and on planes? I dread to think about the dangerous scenarios my daughter faces on a daily basis.

Raucous parties

From a 24-hour stint to Australia with tiny children, to numerous trips to Mallorca, I’ve rarely been on a flight where alcohol hasn’t caused a problem.

My teenagers were agog when an extremely drunk and abusive woman held up departure as the crew waited for the local police to arrest her. I’ve cringed each time raucous hen and stag parties ignored the crew’s pleas as they clambered over seats and refused to vacate the toilets.

It’s extremely irritating to other passengers and the crew, and other than airlines and airports thinking it’s worth the hassle for the money, there’s no reason for alcohol to be served in airports and planes. It is a disaster waiting to happen.

‘I dread to think of the danger’