Last orders for airport drinking? Passengers could be banned from a pre-flight tipple to stop drunks ruining family holidays

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Passengers face draconian new restrictions on drinking alcohol before they board a plane to stop drunks from spoiling family holidays.

Lord Ahmad, the new aviation minister, also revealed that he wants to 'look at' the wisdom of allowing bars which are airside to sell beer, wine and spirits round the clock.

His intervention follows the release of statistics showing more than 440 people have been arrested over the past two years on suspicion of being drunk on a plane or at an airport.

Passengers face draconian new restrictions on drinking alcohol before they board a plane to stop drunks from spoiling family holidays. Picture posed by models

Airport bars which are beyond security checks are exempt from normal licensing rules.

But, in new guidelines released today, airports, police and pub operators say they will voluntarily introduce a strict new code of conduct.

It includes a ban on people being allowed to drink alcohol they have bought from duty free or from home and could lead to travel bans for people who behave badly when drunk. 

Lord Ahmad, who was appointed earlier this month, said he wanted to examine the way alcohol is sold at airports amid a spate of incidents on planes involving drunk passengers.

He also pledged to ensure the way in which unruly travellers are stopped from going through airport departure gates is 'fit for purpose'.

Lord Ahmad said: 'If you're a young family travelling on a plane you want to go from point A to B, you don't want to be disrupted.

'I don't think we want to kill merriment altogether, but I think it's important that passengers who board planes are also responsible and have a responsibility to other passengers, and that certainly should be the factor which we bear in mind.

'In terms of specific regulations of timings of outlets (which sell alcohol) and how they operate, clearly I want to have a look at that.'

Lord Ahmad was appointed aviation minister by Theresa May when she became Prime Minister earlier this month.

Strict new guidelines includes a ban on people being allowed to drink alcohol they have bought from duty free or from home and could lead to travel bans for people who behave badly when drunk

In February six men on a stag party were arrested by German police after a mid-air brawl caused a Ryanair flight from Luton to Bratislava, Slovakia, to divert to Berlin.

One of the 'massively drunk' group exposed himself while others were fighting, passengers said. A video from the plane showed one member of the group swearing at another man and threatening him, before throwing a punch at him.

Another recent case involved a female passenger punching an easyJet pilot in the face after being ordered to leave an aircraft before it took off from Manchester in May.

Glasgow and Manchester airports have trialled a scheme with shops selling alcohol in sealed bags in a bid to reduce problems on flights.

Last year passengers were also been banned from taking alcohol on all Ryanair flights from the UK to Ibiza to improve 'comfort and safety'.

ord Ahmad, the new aviation minister, also revealed that he wants to 'look at' the wisdom of allowing bars which are airside to sell beer, wine and spirits round the clock

Lord Ahmad went on: 'I want to certainly look at what more can be done in terms of making aviation a very attractive sector for all, so whether you're a businessman making travelling arrangements or you're a family planning a holiday, you can do so knowing that once you board the plane it's going to be an environment in which you're going to be safe and secure.'

The rules are included in a new UK Aviation Industry Code of Practice on disruptive passengers, which is published today.

Labour MP Graham Stringer said he was concerned by the prospect of more 'nannying'.

He added: 'My instinct is that there are already rules and if people fancy a drink at the start of their holidays then why shouldn't they have one?

'It sounds to me like nannying and I think he's looking for something to do. There are perfectly adequate rules to stop anti-social and drunken behaviour both in airports and on planes.'

His intervention follows the release of statistics showing more than 440 people have been arrested over the past two years on suspicion of being drunk on a plane or at an airport

The Department for Transport said there were 'no plans' to review the rules which allow pubs and bars which are airside to sell alcohol round the clock.

The Home Office confirmed they are exempt from the Licensing Act, which applies to all other premises which sell alcohol

Officials said the non-travelling public does not have access to these areas and 'therefore the risk of crime and disorder associated with the sale of alcohol is low'.

The new guidance was drawn up by the British Air Transport Association, the Airport Operators Association, the Airport Police Commanders Group, the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers and the UK Travel Retail Forum.