(TDB) - Budget airline Ryanair has called for a two drink limit at airports after it was revealed that the number of people arrested for being drunk at UK airports and on board flights had risen by 50% in the last year.

It follows a BBC ‘Panorama’ investigation which revealed that between February 2016 and February 2017, 387 people were arrested in UK airports for being drunk and disorderly – a 50% rise from the 255 people arrested in the previous year.

The Civil Aviation Authority meanwhile has reported a 600% increase in “disruptive” incidents on flights in the UK between 2012 and 2016, with “most” involving alcohol although it put this down to an improvement in the reporting of such incidents rather than an actual rise in their occurrence.

Yesterday, Ryanair, called on UK airports to step up their efforts to better prevent excessive alcohol consumption by passengers prior to boarding.

It has called on airports to ban the sale of all alcohol in bars and restaurants before 10am. Unlike on-trade venues, licensing laws which prevent the sale of alcohol outside permitted hours do not apply to sales of alcohol at UK international airports. Bars can remain open to serve passengers on the earliest and latest flights, which can be as early as 4am.