A European airport is testing tourists with a breathalyzer. You'll have to be careful.

An airport in Scotland, located in the northern part of the island of Great Britain, has decided to crack down on tourists who drink alcohol while traveling. Aberdeen Airport has launched a "Safe Landing" campaign, which involves police patrols carrying out breathalyzer tests on passengers disembarking from planes. Sometimes, it doesn't stop there.

Breathalyzer test at the airport

Does the idea sound controversial? It turns out that Scotland is grappling with a significant problem of drunkenness among travelers who get behind the wheel. This creates numerous complications. These checks are intended to help address the problem and encourage tourists to be more cautious. In practice, this will involve increased police patrols at airports, interviews with disembarking passengers, and the aforementioned breathalyzer tests.

These mainly involve passengers who drank during the flight and then attempted to drive after disembarking. This practice, familiar to locals, poses an increasingly serious threat.

"We understand that for many travelers, a drink on board a plane is an essential part of their holiday experience, and that holidays are a time for relaxation. But it's important that everyone understands that the most important thing is getting home safely," commented Aberdeen Police, who launched a pilot program targeting drunk passengers.

Robert Paterson, chief operating officer at Aberdeen International Airport, welcomed the launch of the programme, saying that passenger safety is “always our priority”.

Severe penalties are threatened

While the incident in Aberdeen seems unusual, and one would be hard-pressed to find one like it at any other European airport, it stems from specific needs and concerns for the safety of all of us. In recent years, there have been numerous reports of British tourists disrupting flights returning from their vacation destinations. Of course, alcohol isn't always the problem; sometimes sober individuals are responsible for unpleasant incidents.

As part of the "Safe Landing" campaign, tourists will not be penalized if they simply drive home as passengers after drinking alcohol. Penalties will primarily apply to those who get behind the wheel of a car in airport car parks while intoxicated. Drivers in Scotland face a minimum 12-month driving ban, fines of up to £5,000, and in some cases, even imprisonment for violating the law.

The inspection programme is currently in a test phase, but may be expanded to include other airports in Scotland.

Read also: Tourists drank all the alcohol on the plane in half an hour. The crew had never experienced such a flight. Read also: A shameful incident on board the plane. An emergency landing was necessary.