editorial: Drinking ban

The airlines are quite rightly trying to tackle the bad behaviour of rowdy passengers on flights but the simple solution is to ban the sale of alcohol. Smoking on aircraft was quite rightly outlawed more than a decade ago, alcohol should be next. The days of passengers being able to board aircraft loaded with duty free or even purchase it on the aircraft should be outlawed. Airlines should no longer be able to service alcohol on flights either. This should not be interrupted as yet another example of the nanny state, it is simply to control the behaviour of a very small minority who can make travelling a nightmare simply because they are “under the influence.” Now I know that airlines make a substantial part of their revenue from the sale of duty free alcohol on their flights. Well they should be allowed to continue but there should be express instructions which say that all purchases of alcohol  should not be opened until after the flight. A simple instruction which would make a world of difference. At this time of the year you sometimes think twice about taking a flight simply because you are concerned about the behaviour of a small minority of passengers. This must stop. There should be no place for bad behaviour anywhere. It must be stamped out at once. One of the principal causes is naturally alcohol. A crackdown is needed. Drinking in moderation are a couple of words which are sadly missing from the vocabulary of a small number of people.