The UK Wants Its Flyers to Stop Getting so Drunk

The Points Guy ^ | 07/27/18

[Simon Green]

Companies across the travel industry in the UK are teaming up to raise awareness for the consequences of drinking too much alcohol when flying. The campaign, coined “One Too Many,” launched today on social media and 10 pilot airports across the UK.

The goal is to remind passengers that there are downsides to consuming too much alcohol, citing denial of boarding, plane diversions (and the often high fines involved in causing a plane to divert), up to two-year prison sentences and even being banned from an airline.

The campaign is convening associations in a way that no other campaign of its kind has. The UK Travel Retail Forum (UKTRF), the Airports Operators Association (AOA), the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Airlines UK (AUK) are all supporting the new initiative.

“One Too Many” was brought to life by UK Aviation Minister Baroness Sugg and will be visible on Facebook and Instagram as well as select airports in the UK, including Manchester Airports Group (MAN, EMA, STN), AGS Airports (ABZ, GLA, SOU), Bristol Airport (BRS), Birmingham Airport (BHX), Newcastle Airport (NCL) and Gatwick Airport (LGW).

At the airports, the campaign will be visible “across digital screen signage, POS display, F&B retailer notices and through a dedicated police leaflet,” according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

“Disruptive passengers have the potential to ruin other people’s flights, and this campaign is an important new step to ensure all passengers are aware of the consequences they face if they behave disruptively after drinking before or on board a flight,” Sugg said at the program’s launch. “I am pleased to see the industry come together to ensure the experiences at our airports and on flights remain positive for everyone.”

TPG has reported on several cases of intoxicated passengers causing diversions from the UK, so it’s no surprise that the issue is trying to be halted. Ryanair was even pushing for an initiative to end morning drinking at airports as well as overall restrictions on drinking at airports.

[Drew68]

It's a money maker for the airlines, and First/Business class passengers - the passengers airlines really care about - expect it. I doubt it's going anywhere.

Airlines are pretty good about holding drunken passengers accountable for their misbehavior but one of these days someone is going to do something serious enough, perhaps to a child, that the airline will be forced to bear some measure of responsibility. They’ll simply pass the losses in alcohol sales off to ticket prices and that’ll be the end of it.

Attitudes have changed. In-flight drunkenness used to be tolerated as a remedy for fear of flying. These days, not so much. Increasingly passengers find drunken behavior inexcusable and offensive. They don’t want to sit next to drunken passengers. They don’t want their children exposed to them.