Ryanair’s O’Leary calls for ban on early-morning airport alcohol sales as disruptive incidents soar

Key facts

• Ryanair diverts nearly one flight daily due to disruptive passengers, up from one per week a decade ago.
• Michael O’Leary calls for a ban on alcohol sales at airports before 5 or 6 a.m., aligning with pub licensing hours.
• O’Leary proposes a two-drink limit per passenger at airports, accusing airports of profiteering from early-morning bar sales.
• Ryanair rarely serves more than two drinks per passenger onboard and is 'reasonably responsible', O’Leary says.
• Under Irish law, drunk passengers face arrest, fines up to €5,000, and up to two years in prison.
• Ryanair filed legal proceedings in January 2023 seeking €15,000 from a passenger who forced a Dublin-Lanzarote flight diversion.
• Drug use has exacerbated onboard violence, with passengers 'wanting to fight', O’Leary stated.
• Flights to Ibiza, Alicante, and Tenerife are among the worst affected by disruptive behavior.

A daily crisis in the skies

Ryanair is now forced to divert an average of nearly one flight every day because of disruptive passengers, a tenfold increase from one a week a decade ago, according to chief executive Michael O’Leary. The surge in misconduct, which O’Leary attributes largely to alcohol consumed before boarding, has prompted the airline boss to renew his call for a ban on early-morning alcohol sales at airports. Speaking to The Times, O’Leary said the problem has become 'a real challenge for all airlines' and questioned why airport bars are permitted to serve alcohol at five or six in the morning. 'Who needs to be drinking beer at that time?' he asked.

O’Leary’s proposed remedy: licensing hours and a two-drink limit

O’Leary argues that airport bars should be subject to the same licensing restrictions as other alcohol-selling venues, effectively banning sales outside standard pub hours. He also called for a two-drink limit per passenger, a measure he has advocated 'for many years'. 'There should be no alcohol served at airports outside [those] licensing hours,' O’Leary said. He accused airports of 'profiteering' by selling alcohol early in the morning and during delays, then 'exporting the problem to the airlines'.

Ryanair’s onboard policy and the role of drugs

O’Leary maintained that Ryanair is 'reasonably responsible' with its own alcohol service, rarely serving more than two drinks to a passenger. However, he noted that drug use has exacerbated the issue, with intoxicated passengers then 'wanting to fight'. The worst-affected routes include flights to Ibiza, Alicante, and Tenerife, popular destinations for party tourism.

Legal consequences and airline recourse

Being drunk on an aircraft is a criminal offence. Under Irish law, passengers who cause disruption face arrest upon landing, fines of up to €5,000, and up to two years in prison. Airlines can also impose minimum fines of €500 and pursue passengers for the costs of diversions. In January 2023, Ryanair announced it had initiated legal proceedings against a passenger in Ireland, seeking €15,000 in damages related to a flight from Dublin to Lanzarote that was forced to divert. Threatening or abusive behaviour can lead to further prosecution in the country where the aircraft lands.

Industry-wide efforts and the UK context

O’Leary’s call aligns with broader industry efforts to curb air rage. In the UK, airlines such as Jet2 are lobbying for a national database to ban disruptive passengers from flying. The Ryanair chief’s comments come as his airline reported a 5% increase in passenger numbers in April, underscoring the scale of the operational challenge. A decade ago, Ryanair dealt with one diversion a week; now the figure is nearly one a day, a trend O’Leary says is unsustainable.

The airport bar loophole and public safety

Airside bars in the UK and Ireland are not required to follow the same opening-hour restrictions as other alcohol vendors, a loophole O’Leary wants closed. He argues that early-morning drinking is unnecessary and that airports are profiting while airlines bear the consequences. 'We are reasonably responsible, but the ones who are not responsible, the ones who are profiteering off it, are the airports who have these bars open at five or six o’clock in the morning and during delays are quite happy to send these people as much alcohol as they want because they know they’re going to export the problem to the airlines,' O’Leary said.

Outlook: a persistent challenge with no quick fix

Despite O’Leary’s repeated calls, there is no immediate sign of regulatory change. The debate highlights a tension between airport retail revenue and passenger safety. With disruptive incidents rising and legal recourse costly, airlines are pushing for systemic solutions. For now, Ryanair and its peers continue to manage the fallout on a near-daily basis, while the early-morning pint remains a fixture of airport culture — and a flashpoint in the skies.

The bottom line

• Ryanair diverts nearly one flight daily due to disruptive passengers, up tenfold from a decade ago.
• Michael O’Leary calls for a ban on early-morning airport alcohol sales and a two-drink limit.
• Airport bars in the UK and Ireland are exempt from standard licensing hours, a loophole O’Leary wants closed.
• Legal penalties for disruptive passengers include fines up to €5,000 and up to two years in prison in Ireland.
• Ryanair is pursuing legal action to recover costs, including a €15,000 claim from a Dublin-Lanzarote diversion.
• Drug use is cited as an exacerbating factor, with flights to Ibiza, Alicante, and Tenerife worst affected.