Last week, Michael O’Leary, CEO, Ryanair, an Irish budget airline, publicly suggested a two-drink limit at airport bars due to an increase in violence among plane passengers. The limit would also ensure the safety of pilots, fellow flyers and crew.

According to The Independent, O’Leary said, “In the same way that you have to show your boarding pass when you go through Duty Free to buy cigarettes or alcohol, we believe you should show your boarding pass to buy an alcoholic drink at a bar at an airport, and you shouldn’t be served more than two alcoholic drinks, particularly when flights are delayed.”

O’Leary also expressed interest in imposing more effective local fines for travelers removed from flights due to disruptive behavior.

People were less than pleased with O’Leary’s comments and many took to Reddit to express unhappiness. “So, because a small minority can’t behave, we should all be dictated what we can and can’t drink,” one Reddit user wrote. Other people cited the hypocrisy in placing a two-drink ban in airports while still resuming the sale of alcohol on board once the flight is underway.

According to the International Air Transport Association, there was a reported increase in episodes involving unruly passengers from 2021 to 2022. When these incidents were categorized, alcohol was listed in two of the top three categories, including consumption of personal alcohol on board and intoxication. A June 22 incident saw a woman on an American Airlines flight endure harassment from a drunk passenger beside her, leading to a lawsuit.

Increased alcohol-related incidents have airlines cracking down on alcohol consumption. American Airlines stopped serving alcohol in domestic economy-class cabins a few years ago.

In 2021, the Federal Aviation Administration warned airports across the United States to monitor the serving of alcohol, especially to-go cups, due to a spike in dangerous behavior involving drunk passengers.

“The increasing trend of unruly passenger incidents is worrying,” said Conrad Clifford, deputy director general, IATA. “Passengers and crew are entitled to a safe and hassle-free experience on board. For that, passengers must comply with crew instructions. While our professional crews are well trained to manage unruly passenger scenarios, it is unacceptable that rules in place for everyone’s safety are disobeyed by a small but persistent minority of passengers. There is no excuse for not following the instructions of the crew.”

Have you experienced an alcohol-related incident when at an airport or flying before? What are your thoughts on O’Leary’s comments? Tell us your thoughts. Email us at letters@globaltravelerusa.com. Please include your full name and location.