Jet2.com bans alcohol sales on morning flights

Following the aviation minister’s decision to review UK airport alcohol sales, leisure airline Jet2.com has announced it will ban the sale of alcohol on-board flights before 8am.

In a bid to tackle disruptive and abusive behaviour, from Monday 8 August the airline will be banning the sale of alcohol before 8am, and is calling for airports and retailers to follow its lead.

The news follows reports that aviation minister Tariq Ahmad is considering a crackdown on the sale of alcohol at British airports.

Phil Ward, managing director of Jet2.com said: “We believe that stopping sales of alcohol before 08:00 BST on our morning flights is an effective way to ensure everyone has an enjoyable and comfortable journey.

“We understand that we’re the first of the European airlines to take this bold step and call upon industry partners in airports to also trade responsibly.”

In addition, the airline has written to the minister for transport and says it will continue to consult with government bodies and MPs regarding the issue.

The announcement supports Jet.com’s Onboard Together campaign, launched in 2015, which aims to reduce incidences of disruptive behaviour on its flights.

Since then, the initiative has seen more than 500 passengers refused travel, with more than 50 given lifetime bans.

Last year the airline teamed up with travel retailer World Duty Free (WDF) for a trial to introduce tamper-proof bags for airport alcohol sales in a bid to counter on-board consumption.