Ryanair calls for two-drink limit at airports as airline reveals diversion cost

Low-cost carrier Ryanair is calling for passengers to be limited to two alcoholic drinks at the airport before their flight as the airline highlights the cost of diverting the plane for unruly behavior.  

On January 13, 2025, Ryanair said that it “was time that EU authorities take action to limit the sale of alcohol at airports”.  

“We fail to understand why passengers at airports are not limited to 2 alcoholic drinks (using their boarding pass in exactly the same way they limit duty free sales), as this would result in safer and better passenger behaviour on board aircraft, and a safer travel experience for passengers and crews all over Europe,” a spokesperson for Ryanair said.  

Ryanair said that it already limits the sale of alcohol on board its flights particularly in disruptive passenger cases but is concerned that “passengers are consuming excess alcohol at airports without any limit on purchase or consumption” during delays. 

The airline highlighted one case in which a Ryanair aircraft was diverted to Porto in April 2024, after leaving Dublin for Lanzarote.  

Ryanair said that because of a disruptive passenger’s behavior the flight landed in Porto where the individual was offloaded and arrested. 

Due to crew hours restrictions more than 160 passengers were forced to stay overnight in Porto Airport (OPO), with the cost of accommodation and meals being funded entirely by Ryanair.   

The airline also had to provide an additional aircraft and crew to operate the delayed return flight from Lanzarote to Dublin, which took place on April 10, 2024. 

Ryanair has initiated civil proceedings against the disruptive passenger to try and claw back some of the costs of the diversion.  

The airline hit out at Portuguese legal authorities which ruled that because the aircraft and the passenger are Irish, this case should be transferred to Ireland.   

Ryanair claims the cost of the diversion equates to €15,350 ($15,670) and even published the breakdown of the costs.  

According to Ryanair, the figures are as follows: 

Excess fuel: €800 ($816) 
Overnight accommodation: €7,000 ($7,146) 
Porto Airport landing/handling fees: €2,500 ($2,552) 
Loss of inflight sales: €750 ($765) 
Replacement crew costs: €1,800 ($1,837) 
Portuguese legal fees to date: €2,500 ($2,552) 
“None of these costs would have been incurred if this disruptive passenger had not forced a diversion to Porto in order to protect the safety of the aircraft, 160 passengers and 6 crew members on board. European Govts repeatedly fail to take action when disruptive passengers threaten aircraft safety and force them to divert,” added the Ryanair spokesperson. 

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