travel

Dawn airport drinkers call out Ryanair boss on proposal to ban ‘holiday ritual’

Stansted passengers disagree that stopping airports serving alcohol before early flights will reduce bad behaviour

Dawn airport drinkers call out Ryanair boss on proposal to ban ‘holiday ritual’

TL;DR

  • Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary proposed banning alcohol sales before early morning flights to curb disruptive passengers.
  • Passengers at Stansted Airport view pre-flight drinks as a holiday ritual and a symbol of relaxation.
  • Some passengers believe the issue is the amount of alcohol consumed, not the time of day.
  • The boss of JD Wetherspoon called the proposed ban an "overreaction" and "extraordinarily difficult to implement."
  • Many passengers interviewed had not personally witnessed alcohol-related issues on flights.
  • One passenger recalled a flight turning into a "party bus" with a festive atmosphere, without any negative incidents.