{"id":141831,"date":"2026-05-06T19:02:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T13:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/?p=141831"},"modified":"2026-05-06T15:35:03","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T10:05:03","slug":"ryanair-ceo-demands-ban-on-early-morning-airport-alcohol-sales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/06\/ryanair-ceo-demands-ban-on-early-morning-airport-alcohol-sales\/","title":{"rendered":"Ryanair CEO Demands Ban on Early Morning Airport Alcohol Sales, Why?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

DUBLIN-<\/strong> Ryanair (FR)<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 \u20ac15,000<\/strong> in damages from a disruptive passenger on a Dublin (DUB) to Lanzarote (ACE) service, signaling a tougher enforcement stance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: By World Travel & Tourism Council – Michael O\u2019Leary, CEO, Ryanair, CC BY 2.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=54703627<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ryanair CEO Demands Ban on Early Alcohol Sales<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: simon butler | Flickr<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Airport Operators Face Criticism Over Profiteering<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

O’Leary directed sharp criticism at airport operators, accusing them of profiteering from alcohol<\/a> sales while exporting the resulting problems to airlines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Airlines, on the other hand, must manage unruly passengers mid-flight, absorb diversion costs, and deal with delays that affect hundreds of other travelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ: 10 Airlines With Alcohol-Free Cabins in the World<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: By kitmasterbloke – https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/58415659@N00\/51752028899\/, CC BY 2.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=114422105<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n