Ryanair reaffirmed yesterday its demand that airport bars implement a two-drink limit per traveler.

"A safer travel experience for passengers and crews" would be the outcome of such a policy, according to the airline.

It follows the carrier's announcement last week that, as part of a "major misconduct clampdown," it had begun pursuing legal action to recoup losses from unruly passengers.

However, the bulk of those detained for being intoxicated and unruly at Dublin and Cork airports last year were detained at check-in, according to Daa chief executive Kenny Jacobs.

He claimed that passengers at Dublin Airport often drank half a pint of booze. Mr. Jacobs stated that he thought it was a greater problem at other airports in Europe where alcohol was less expensive.

He was speaking as the Daa demanded that the upcoming government program include enhancements to the planning process and a higher passenger cap at Dublin Airport.

European governments "repeatedly fail to take action when disruptive passengers threaten aircraft safety and force them to divert," according to a Ryanair representative.

Authorities in the European Union need to act now to restrict the sale of alcoholic beverages at airports. The selling of alcohol on our aircraft is already restricted by airlines such as Ryanair, especially when passengers are causing disruptions," the representative stated.

"However, during flight delays, passengers are consuming excess alcohol at airports without any limit on purchase or consumption," he stated.

"We fail to understand why passengers at airports are not limited to two alcoholic drinks (using their boarding pass in exactly the same way they limit duty free sales), as this would result in safer and better passenger behaviour on board aircraft, and a safer travel experience for passengers and crews all over Europe," he stated.

When Ryanair's group chief executive Michael O'Leary reported an increase in disorder on flights in August of last year, he first called for a two-drink restriction.