The Balearic government says unlimited consumption of alcohol has proven problematic on flights to Ibiza and Majorca. It wants to see more sober arrival and an end to the days of knocking down a few drinks on flights to Palma.
According to a statement published on the government’s website yesterday, director general of tourism Pilar Carbonell has asked the Spanish state secretary of tourism Matilde Asian to cap the number of drinks that a passenger can order on a flight in order to "guarantee security" and "combat anti-social tourism".
"The goal of this measure is to improve security for passengers as well as strengthen security within airplanes and at our islands’ airports, where police often have to deal with intoxicated passengers."
The government has also taken its plea for alcohol moderation to Brussels. On Tuesday, the islands’ representative team presented the European Commission with the same request during a working session on European transport.
With cheap flights and comparatively low prices, the Balearics - especially Majorca and Ibiza - have become hot destinations for millions of travellers.
As examples of the problem: In May, the Guardia Civil had to board a Ryanair flight in Palma that had just landed after a flight from Manchester. Officers dragged off three drunk men who had caused a disturbance throughout the flight. Last month, two members of the National Police were injured while trying to control two drunken British tourists in arrivals.
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Airlines should only sell very expensive brands of single malt whisky, grand cru champagne etc. to avoid riffraff gaining access to those coveted in-air alcohol supplies. In addition, airport sales should be restricted to those travelling business or first class, for which a gold-colored boarding pass shall be issued in order for staff to easily differentiate.On a more serious note, rowdy passengers is very uncommon on proper carriers such as BA, Lufthansa and Air France (arguably) but all bets are off on tourist routes with low cost airlines.
I have been saying for a long time that not only should alcohol be limited on aircraft but is should NOT be on sale at any AIRPORT at silly o,clock in the morning
It is a small minority that spoils it for everybody. Ground crew should vet pax boarding. I have owned a home in Mallorca for 10 years and have never seen drunken behavior on BA though I have seen a few taking low costairlines a little worse for wear. Mallorca needs to get rid of the AI hotels that attract these types and build more quality 5 star hotels like Park Hyatt st Regis etc, maybe there will be short term losses but in he long term it would be more sustainable.
Short haul flights such as Majorca only last around the two hour mark. To go without a drink for two hours is no hardship. I went to Vegas in May this year with Virgin Atlantic.. It was utter chaos because of open ended drinking allowed by the airline company. There was fighting on the plane, stewards/esses were threatened with violence if they did not bring more drink. Passengers stole from the lockers were the drinks were held. The only way to stop it was to threaten the passengers with being offloaded at the nearest airport. I complained to the airline and they said it was not a problem. What a joke! The airline are making big money with the inflated price of booze. Some form of restriction should be imposed.
Simple, just stop serving alcohol on the flights. You don't have alcohol when taking a bus journey, you don't have alcohol when on a coach trip so why do you have to have it on a plane? Just ban it on all flights...surely no one is that desperate that they cant wait until they land. Pretty sad if you ask me.
2 stamps at airport bars are a great idea, hopefully there is an electronic solution as the majority of travellers have their boarding pass on a smart phone, you can't stamp that! I doubt it will happen as it will eat away the bars profits, at the end of the day it's business!
Jan, as a Brit I totally agree. Brits & Germans have more extremes than most other countries in europe. If you go to the poshest hotels and restaurants in Mallorca its full of posh brits & germans who are well educated & well behaved. Go to Arenal & Magaluf and its full of alcoholic lowlife. Unfortunately when its cheaper to fly to Mallorca and spend the week there than going to Blackpool for the week, then it will always be the case. We need to raise prices in Mallorca, increase air fares and eradicate the scum to Greece or wherever. Enough is enough, we dont need British and German lowlife.
To be fair, its simply just (and only) a problem on flights from UK and Germany..:-) I have to ask, why is it so ? It cannot be the alcohol by it self.
Anyone causing problems through drink should be arrested and held until their flight home then their passport should be stamped so they are unable to enter Spain again at any time in the future. Then put on the plane back to whichever country they are from on their own ticket thereby saving money deporting them.
Actually I like a drink on the plane and have never seen someone drunk on a plane ever. I dont like yobs with tatoos and people talking crap really loudly or bad accents or children screaming. All of those things are more offensive to me than the odd middle aged couple having a red wine on the plane. You are all a bunch of killjoys.