By Davina Howatson and Alina Kazmi

“If you ban alcohol, it’ll just cause more problems” (GettyImages)

Flying on a plane should be a relaxed experience; it's a rising luxury. While most people's thoughts are on praying that the flight lands safely or that they won't throw up on other passengers, it's now hoping that they won't get knocked flying out of their seats. Fights on flights are soaring, with numbers tripling since the pandemic. The Federal Aviation Administration recorded 983 altercations on flights in America alone, whereas 1,028 cases were recorded in the UK. Incidences include bomb threats, threats of violence towards passengers and cabin crew, and adult temper tantrums.

The root cause of this?

Alcohol.

Packed seats and alcohol can be seen as a recipe for disaster, with a term coined just for this. "Air rage." When fights on planes were categorised, alcohol was put into the top three. 60% of British adults encountered drunk passengers while flying, and 51% believed that there was a severe problem with drinking on aeroplanes. In one case, seven people had to restrain a heavily intoxicated man on a flight from Luton to Lithuania. On another flight from London to St. Lucia, a man stabbed another passenger in an incident fuelled by alcohol.

Drew Smith, from East Kilbride, said, "I usually go on lad's holidays and drinking on the flight is a part of the fun, and we're having a good time. If you ban alcohol, it'll just cause more problems, I think."

While drinking is most definitely part of some people's holiday plans, it can't be denied that issues can come from this.

Kirsty Dunlop, Shawlands, said, "I usually drink to calm my pre-flight nerves, so I get why people drink, but if it's causing this much trouble, maybe it should be banned."

Going on holiday should be relaxing, but is it time to stop alcohol from dampening the fun?

It's time to talk about Flight Club