Government looking to crackdown on drunken, disorderly passengers

The laws around whether passengers can drink their own booze on flights could be changing in coming months as the government looks to crack down on drunken in-flight behaviour.

A new report outlining its Aviation strategy revealed that regulations could be set in place including all duty-free alcohol being sold in sealed bags which passengers won't be allowed to open until they reach their final destination; and those who break these could face on the spot fines.

Penalties might also be introduced for passengers who try to board a flight already intoxicated.

At the moment it's not illegal for passengers to drink their own alcohol although there are rules and limitations in place for those who are bringing alcoholic drinks on their flight.

However, the report revealed that a staggering 70% of passenger incidents have involved alcohol.

In fact, 18 percent of those who have flown in the last three years have reported experiencing aggressive or drunken behaviour when flying.

There's a plethora of incidents where alcohol has caused passengers to become abusive towards fellow passengers and crew members , get kicked off flights because of aggressive behaviour or even force pilots to make an unscheduled landings as they pose a threat.

Although it's unclear whether Brits are getting drunk before the flight, at the airport or on the booze they've brought on board, one airline reported that in 50% of disruptive incidents, cabin crew found evidence that passengers had brought their own booze.

All this despite tough penalties already in place for passengers who get drunk in the air; after all, you could face unlimited fines or even prison sentences of up to two years.

It's not the only measure they're considering.

Earlier this year it was revealed that pre-holiday pints could soon become a thing of the past , as the Home Office looks to close a loophole in the Licensing Act of 2003, such as no alcohol before 9am, where regular alcohol restrictions don't apply at airports.

However, the new regulations won't ban drinking completely.

You could still buy alcohol from the food and drink trolley, but it will make it a lot easier for cabin crew to control how much passengers are consuming.

If you are going to drink on a plane, make sure to drink responsibly - there are plenty of easy tips and tricks to pace yourself .