Have you seen the price of drinking water once you get through security? Last week in Palma it was Euro 3.50 for a litre.....a lot of money is being made by someone somewhere.....almost cheaper to drink alcohol.....so a lot were!
To my mind, there is something not quite right about folk - even though they may be on holiday - pouring alcohol down their necks at breakfast time, or at any other time in the airport really. If they are suffering the effects of alcohol when they board I doubt very much if they would be in a position to comply with the safety procedures in the, as the staff say, unlikely event of an emergency. In other words they become a liability as well as a danger to staff and other passengers. And a right Pain in the Axxx if they are sitting next to or near you.
Personally, I would just stop serving alcohol once passengers are through security and leave it to security to do a rough assessment of your state as you are processed - and if in any doubt breathalyse anyone suspected of being over a set limit. If you are over the set limit then you don't fly, simples.
As draconian as it sounds the penalties for such offences need to be much stiffer, it won't deter all but I suspect it would deter a good many. Apart from a hefty fine or jail sentence, how about a 6 month ban from flying? We take drunk drivers off the road so why not those drunk on board an aircraft?
One thing is for sure, appealing to people's sense of responsibility won't work so action is required to address the problem. Perhaps the budget airlines could run 'Guaranteed No Alcohol or Drunks On Board' flights....for a small surcharge of course!
