New aviation minister to ‘look at' airport restaurant and bar alcohol sales

29 July 2016 by
New aviation minister to ‘look at' airport restaurant and bar alcohol sales

The new aviation minister has said he will be "looking at" the way alcohol is sold in airport bars and restaurants.

After a number of recent drunken incidents, Lord Ahmad told the BBC that he would be examining the times alcohol is on sale, as well as passenger screening.

Police statistics obtained by the Press Association through Freedom of Information requests showed at least 442 people were held on suspicion of being drunk on a plane or at an airport in the UK between March 2014 and March 2016.

However, a Department for Transport spokesperson added there are "no plans" to specifically address the issue of alcohol at airports.

In one recent case a female passenger punched an Easyjet pilot, while six men on a stag party were arrested by German police after a mid-air brawl caused a flight to divert in February.

Lord Ahmad said: "I think it's important that passengers who board planes are also responsible and have a responsibility to other passengers, and that certainly should be the factor which we bear in mind. In terms of specific regulations of timings of outlets [which sell alcohol] and how they operate, clearly I want to have a look at that."

Glasgow and Manchester airports have trialled a scheme with shops selling alcohol in sealed bags in a bid to reduce problems on flights.

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