The boss of Ryanair has called for a two-drink limit for passengers at airports to prevent violent behaviour on flights. Michael O’Leary suggested a restriction on alcohol prior to boarding the plane could combat the growing number of in-flight assaults.

Altercations with staff members and between fellow passengers have surged in the previous weeks, with attacks now reportedly taking place on a weekly basis. The airline chief said that identifying drunken individuals at the gate is often an impossible task for employees, with misbehaving passengers typically coming to light after take-off.

He added: “Previously, people who drank too much would fall over or fall asleep. But now those passengers are also on tablets and powder. The mix creates a more aggressive behaviour. It becomes very difficult to manage. And it’s not directed just at the crew. Passengers fighting with each other is a growing trend on board our aircraft. We don’t want to stop people having a drink. But we don’t allow people to drink-drive, yet we keep putting them in aircraft at 33,000 feet.”

This story originally appeared on thesun.co.uk. It was republished here with permission. 

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