The aviation industry has launched a new winter version of the ‘One Too Many’ campaign to raise awareness of the disruption caused by excessive drinking before flying and the potential penalties that can be incurred.
The first campaign launched over the summer, with nine airports and a number of airlines working together to roll out digital screen signage and other displays warning passengers of the consequences of drinking before flying.
One Too Many’s winter campaign takes off as 4.5 million passengers are expected to fly from UK airports during the festive season. It is a collaboration between the UK Travel Retail Forum (UKTRF), the Airports Operators Association (AOA), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and Airlines UK, along with aviation minister Baroness Sugg.
Flight disruption owing to drunk and disorderly passengers has increased in the UK since 2015, and airlines such as Ryanair have called on the government to introduce a two-drink limit at airports to discourage passengers from getting drunk before their flight.
Manchester Airports Group (Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands), Newcastle International, Birmingham, Bristol, Gatwick and the AGS Airport Group (Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton) will again take part in the winter campaign. Heathrow, Liverpool John Lennon and Belfast International will also support One Too Many.
Travel retailers and airlines will work together with these airports to warn passengers of the consequences of excessive drinking on flights, which include substantial delays to services, denial of boarding and fines of up to £80,000 or jail for more severe incidents.
In addition, a new social media campaign will run for ten weeks.
Baroness Sugg, who included a case study of the One Too Many campaign in the government’s aviation strategy green paper, said: “The festive period is a time for celebration and while most UK air passengers behave responsibly when flying, we are clear that drunken and disruptive behaviour will not be tolerated. Travel should be safe and enjoyable for everyone and we fully support the ‘One Too Many’ campaign and the industry’s commitment to tackling anti-social behaviour.”
Rafael Schvartzman, regional vice president for Europe at IATA, added: “The issue of disruptive passengers has always been taken very seriously, as when they do happen the impact has serious consequences for fellow passengers, employees working in the air and at the airport, as well as for the passenger causing the disruption.
“Disruptive behaviour over the Christmas period is not confined to airports or air travel. However, as it is a busy season for flying, we want to make sure no one’s journey is affected by another passenger’s behaviour. The One Too Many campaign will help to prevent this as much as possible and raise further public awareness of the clear consequences of disruptive behaviour while flying.”
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