DUBLIN- Ryanair (FR) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Michael O’Leary has called for a complete ban on alcohol sales at airports during early morning hours. The low-cost carrier’s boss said the move would help reduce disruptive passenger incidents that now force Ryanair (FR) to divert nearly one flight every day from its network.
O’Leary specifically questioned why airport bars serve alcohol at five or six o’clock in the morning, and urged authorities to apply standard licensing hours to airside venues. The airline previously filed a legal case seeking €15,000 in damages from a disruptive passenger on a Dublin (DUB) to Lanzarote (ACE) service, signaling a tougher enforcement stance.
Ryanair CEO Demands Ban on Early Alcohol Sales
Michael O’Leary told the London Times that disruptive passenger behavior has become a serious and growing challenge for all airlines. Ryanair (FR) now diverts an average of nearly one flight per day because of onboard incidents, a sharp rise from just one diversion per week a decade ago.
O’Leary placed much of the blame on airport operators who allow bars to open during early morning hours without following the licensing restrictions that apply to other venues.
Airside bars in the United Kingdom and Ireland currently operate outside the standard alcohol licensing hours that regulate pubs and restaurants. O’Leary argued that no alcohol should be served at airports outside those established licensing windows.
He also proposed a strict two-drink limit at airport bars, noting that Ryanair itself rarely serves more than two drinks to any single passenger during a flight.
Airport Operators Face Criticism Over Profiteering
O’Leary directed sharp criticism at airport operators, accusing them of profiteering from alcohol sales while exporting the resulting problems to airlines.
He said airports keep bars open during early hours and during flight delays, serving passengers unlimited alcohol with full knowledge that the airlines will bear the consequences once those passengers board.
The Ryanair (FR) chief described the situation as one where airports generate revenue from alcohol sales but face no accountability for the disruptive behavior that follows.
Airlines, on the other hand, must manage unruly passengers mid-flight, absorb diversion costs, and deal with delays that affect hundreds of other travelers.
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Legal Action Against Disruptive Passengers
Ryanair (FR) announced in January 2025 that it had begun taking legal action to recover financial losses from passengers whose behavior forces flight diversions.
The airline filed proceedings in Ireland against a passenger involved in a disruptive incident on a flight from Dublin (DUB) to Lanzarote (ACE), seeking €15,000 in damages.
Being drunk on an aircraft is a criminal offence under UK and Irish law. O’Leary’s push for legal accountability signals that airlines are no longer willing to absorb the full cost of passenger misconduct.
The combination of legal action against individuals and advocacy for tighter airport alcohol regulations represents a two-pronged approach to tackling the issue.
Industry-Wide Concern Over Passenger Behavior
O’Leary acknowledged that the problem extends well beyond Ryanair, calling it a real challenge for the entire airline industry. The sharp increase in diversions over the past decade suggests that existing measures are insufficient.
Airlines operate on tight schedules and thin margins, and a single diversion can cascade into delays across an entire network, affecting thousands of passengers.
The call for regulatory intervention reflects a broader frustration among carriers that voluntary measures by airports have not addressed the root cause. Without enforceable restrictions on early morning alcohol sales and drink limits, airlines expect disruption rates to continue rising.
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