Ryanair Is the Drunkest European Airline, Survey Says
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
A new survey conducted by an independent UK-based consumer review site found that Ryanair had the most complaints caused by drunken passengers. The survey, conducted by Which? Travel, asked 7,900 readers to share their experiences from recent flights on a selection of top airlines in the United Kingdom. The survey specifically asked readers to report how many times, if at all, they had experienced an obnoxious and intoxicated passenger disrupt passengers on a flight. The results of the survey found that passengers aboard Ryanair experienced the most alcohol-related complaints of any airline.
The Which? Travel survey found that 17% of the 7,900 surveyed reported experiencing, “shouting, drunkenness, obnoxiousness, or verbal abuse” on a Ryanair flight in the past year. This likely comes as no surprise to frequent flyers of the Dublin-based budget carrier or those familiar with the airline. Earlier this year, a Ryanair flight diverted due to a verbally abusive drunk passenger. A simple Google search using the keywords, “Drunk+Ryanair+Passenger” yields roughly 211,000 results, with incidents as recent as this past October.
Thomas Cook, a low-cost vacation airline based in the UK, came in second place with 15% of passengers reporting an incident in the past year. Third place goes to TUI fly, a German-based leisure carrier, with 14% of flyers reporting a drunken incident in the past 12 months. The full list is as follows:
- Ryanair (Ultra-Low-Cost) 17% of Passengers
- Thomas Cook (Leisure) 15% of Passengers
- TUI fly (Leisure) 14% of Passengers
- EasyJet (Ultra-Low-Cost) 13% of Passengers
- Jet2 (Low-Cost) 11% of Passengers
- Emirates (Full-Service) 8% of Passengers
- Virgin Atlantic (Full-Service) 8% of Passengers
- British Airways (Full-Service) 7% of Passengers
- FlyBe (Regional) 5% of Passengers
- Norwegian Air (Ultra-Low-Cost) 5% of Passengers
The survey comes amid new concerns regarding in-flight intoxication. The Independent notes that the “majority of air rage incidents are alcohol-fuelled,” which is often the case in Europe as well as in the United States. Concerns over alcohol-fueled incidents are one of the primary reasons passengers are not allowed to consume their own alcohol onboard commercial flights.
While the Which? survey covered major airlines serving the United Kingdom, there has not yet been a comprehensive survey conducted in the United States to determine which domestic airlines see the most alcohol-related incidents in-flight.
H/T: The Independent
Featured image by Pier Marco Tacca / Getty Images
Sign-up Successful!
Welcome to The Points Guy!
Earn 90,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card in the first three months of card membership. Offer ends 11/10/2021.
With Status Boost™, earn 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, up to two times per year getting you closer to Medallion Status. Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels, 2X Miles at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets and earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases. Terms Apply.
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Offer expires 11/10/2021.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. *Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $75 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®.
- Enjoy an exclusive rate of $39 per person per visit to enter the Delta Sky Club® for you and up to two guests when traveling on a Delta flight.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.