Brits warned holidays 'could be ruined' in summer airport crackdown

Daily Record

01-08-2025

Airports across the UK have teamed up to urge passengers to behave or risk missing out on their trips completely
Brits preparing for their getaways have been cautioned that poor behaviour could completely "ruin" their summer breaks this year. A nationwide initiative being rolled out at all major airports is urging travellers to "fly responsibly" or face "paying the price".
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With travel experts forecasting this summer could see record-breaking passenger numbers, the One Too Many initiative is alerting holidaymakers that excessive drinking before departure might lead to severe repercussions. Campaign materials have even alerted Brits that they could be thrown in prison if they breach regulations.
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Passengers causing mayhem on aircraft could find themselves refused boarding, hit with lifetime bans or pay fines up to £80,000 if their behaviour forces a plane to alter its route mid-flight. One of the campaign's warnings read: "One too many is all it takes to ruin a holiday, cause a delay, land YOU in jail, cancel a flight, [and/or] divert a plane."
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The One Too Many campaign materials have been rolled out at over 20 UK airports including London Gatwick, London Heathrow, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle and Bristol. The campaign stated on its website: "The industry is committed to tackling disruptive behaviour through a voluntary Code of Practice.
"Signatories to the Code work together to prevent and minimise the number of disruptive passenger incidents, and promote a zero-tolerance approach to disruptive behaviour; the identification, pre-emption, management and reporting of disruptive incidents; the responsible sale and consumption of alcohol; and education and communication with passengers."
Karen Dee, Chief Executive of the Airport Operators Association, commented to say: "UK airports are committed to providing a safe and enjoyable travel experience for all passengers. We urge travellers to enjoy their journeys responsibly and not ruin their holidays or the holidays of others. Airports will continue to monitor and act against any disruptive behaviour to ensure everyone's safety."
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The One Too Many campaign, which aims to tackle the issue of unruly passengers, was initially launched in 2018 and has garnered support from the Government, including endorsements from the Department for Transport and the Home Office.
This initiative emerged just days after police in the north initiated their own drive to rein in overindulgent Brits returning from their breaks, reports the Mirror. As part of 'Operation Take Off', officers were stationed at Teesside Airport, intercepting drivers who had just landed and had difficulty moderating their drinking on board.
Just one person among the more than 100 people tested was discovered to have alcohol on their breath. The level detected was beneath the legal threshold, according to officers, who issued the person a caution after they acknowledged consuming a single glass of wine whilst on the aircraft.
Earlier this year, Ryanair urged airports to restrict travellers to a maximum of two alcoholic beverages prior to boarding, arguing it would result in "a safer travel experience for passengers and crews".
At the time, a Ryanair spokesman slammed governments throughout Europe for what the airline perceived as their "repeated failure to take action when disruptive passengers threaten aircraft safety and force them to divert". They continued: "It is time that European Union authorities take action to limit the sale of alcohol at airports."