It isn't unusual for some air passengers to swig a drink or two before boarding flights, but drinking-related misconduct has grown to a point that some Indian airlines are saying enough is enough, urging the government to consider prohibiting alcohol sale at airports.
According to a Mintreport, India's airlines including SpiceJet, Jet Airways and GoAir, have urged the civil aviation ministry to intervene.
"We get so many cases of people getting drunk and creating a scene and harassing our crew," an airline official told Mint. The problem becomes more acute on late evening flights.
However, airport operators are likely to resist any such move, as alcohol sales make up a significant chunk of their revenues. Some airlines like Vistara, instead, seem keen to encourage responsible drinking but are not in favour for a flat-out ban, said the report.
India is not the only country to see mid-air incidents of drunk nuisance. Worldwide, the number of unruly airline passengers is on the rise. According to International Air Transport Association, there were 10,854 unruly passengers last year, up from 9,316 such incidents the previous year.
Elsewhere in the US, for example, an American Airlines flight had to alter course last month because a passenger started banging on the cockpit door, according to NBC News.
The UK is also considering control alcohol at airports, as the number of air rage incidents attributable to alcohol have increased four times in the last three years.