RYANAIR HAS called on airports to implement a ban on the sale of alcohol before 10am, after a group of inebriated holidaymakers forced a flight from Dublin bound for Ibiza to be diverted to Paris Beauvais.
As many as 20 passengers were involved in the unspecified incident with three individuals ultimately removed and detained by police in the French capital for their role in the episode.
The captain of the Ryanair flight took the decision amid concerns for the safety of children and other passengers on board the flight, resulting in a delay of two hours and 40 minutes for the return flight back from the island.
Though details of the incident remain scarce, it has been reported that the unruly passengers had been drinking at the terminal of Dublin airport just prior to take-off.
The Ryanair flight from Dublin to Ibiza left at 8:50am with company spokesperson Robin Kiely confirming the key details of the incident:
"This flight from Dublin to Ibiza diverted to Paris Beauvais after three passengers became disruptive inflight.
"The aircraft landed normally and the passengers were removed and detained by police upon arrival, before the aircraft continued to Ibiza."
"We will not tolerate unruly or disruptive behaviour at any time and the safety and comfort of our customers, crew and aircraft is our number one priority."
Kiely went on to stress that the unplanned diversion serves as an example of "why we are calling for significant changes to prohibit the sale of alcohol at airports, such as a two-drink limit per passenger and no alcohol sales before 10am".
Picture: Getty ImagesHe said: "It's incumbent on the airports to introduce these preventative measures to curb excessive drinking and the problems it creates, rather than allowing passengers to drink to excess before their flights."
The incident comes just weeks after an Irish holidaymaker was fined £1,000 for allegedly urinating on his seat, while drunk, during a flight back from Las Vegas.
