A number of Ryanair customers have been warned that their bags will be searched at boarding gates for alcohol.
Emails sent to passengers travelling to Spain state that a number of “restrictions” will be placed on travellers before they can board the plane.
These rules specifically concern alcohol, with people not allowed to carry drinks on board the flight.
In an email to one Ryanair customer ahead of their flight to Mallorca, the airline detailed the strict rules on alcohol, even if it was purchased in airport shops or duty-free.
The message states that “all cabin baggage will be searched at the boarding gates” for alcohol.
People who buy bottles of alcohol in the airport must pack the items in their bags so that their luggage can be placed in the hold.
This will be free for passengers with priority boarding or with small bags.
However, if customers who bought alcohol in the airport and packed it away have a larger bag and no priority boarding, they will have to pay a fee to have their luggage checked in.
For those who have a “bag unsuitable for placing in the hold”, their drink purchases will have to be binned.
The email reads: “In order to prioritise the comfort and safety of all passengers, Ryanair will implement the following restrictions on your upcoming flight to Spain:
“Customers will not be allowed to carry alcohol on board and all cabin baggage will be searched at the boarding gate.
“Any alcohol purchased in airport shops or elsewhere must be packed carefully in a suitable item of cabin baggage, which will be tagged at the gate and then placed in the aircraft hold free of charge if you have purchased priority boarding or have a small piece of hand luggage.
“Customers with larger cabin bags who have not purchased priority boarding will be required to pay the appropriate fee.
“If the bag is unsuitable for placing in the hold (eg plastic bag) then customers will be required to dispose of the alcohol in the bins provided.”
Ryanair adds that “boarding gates will be carefully monitored” and anyone showing any signs of anti-social behaviour or trying to hide alcohol “will be denied travel”.
Customers who reported that they had received the emails were all travelling to Spain and had mixed reactions to the restrictions.
One person travelling from the UK to Barcelona wasn’t happy with the rules, saying: “Ryanair – Wtf is this about?
“England fans heading to Barcelona… all of a sudden there’s draconian restrictions on their flights now.”
However, another woman welcomed the measures, saying: “One thing that the pandemic failed to eradicate – Ryanair’s wonderful no alcohol policy on flights to Spain. Having been on board some horrible drunken flights I know the motivation but boy I feel like a naughty teenager!”
It is not known when this policy was implemented or if it just applies to flights to Spain.