Ryanair Holdings PLC (LSE:RYA) chief executive Michael O’Leary has said the airline would be willing to enforce a two-drink limit for passengers during flights if airports followed the rule.
Having previously called for such restrictions in airports on the back of a rise in antisocial behaviour during flights, O’Leary said he would be “happy to do it tomorrow”.
“If the price of putting a drink limit on the airport, where the problem is being created, is putting a drink limit on board the aircraft, we've no problem with that,” he told Sky News.
Flights to Ibiza are said to be the worst affected by drunk holidaymakers, with a Ryanair aircraft en route to the Spanish island forced to divert on Sunday due to disruptive passengers.
Though being under the influence is actually illegal on UK flights, a Go Compare survey last month found one in 10 British people admitted to being drunk onboard planes.
A fifth responded that they had been on a flight which was disrupted by drunk passengers, with the survey also finding budget airlines easyJet PLC and Ryanair were worst affected.
“The real issue is how do we stop these people getting drunk at airports particularly as, like this summer, we've had a huge spike in air traffic control delays,” O’Leary added.
“They're getting on board with too much alcohol in their system. If we identify them as being drunk on board, we don't serve them alcohol. But that doesn't solve the problem.”