Glasgow airport handled 125 incidents of disruptive behaviour involving alcohol last year.
The figures was disclosed as Scottish justice secretary Michael Matheson visited the airport to help launch its annual ‘campus watch’ drive to counter potential problem passengers ahead of the summer season.
Airport managing director, Amanda McMillan, said: “It’s important to stress that the vast majority of people travelling through the airport do so responsibly, and that instances of disruptive behaviour are extremely rare.
“In 2016 we carried a record 9.4 million passengers and during this time our staff and partners dealt with 125 incidents of disruptive behaviour involving alcohol.
“While it’s correct to show the numbers in context, it’s also important to understand that disruptive behaviour can often disproportionately affect a large number of passengers, particularly if an incident occurs on board an aircraft.
“One incident is one too many. That’s why we want to use campus watch to send a clear message to the small minority of people acting in a disruptive manner that Glasgow airport takes a zero-tolerance approach to their unacceptable behaviour.”
Glasgow airport police commander, Inspector Bob Smith, said: “We work on a daily basis with our airline and airport partners to reduce the impact of potentially disruptive passengers.
“Glasgow airport has a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable or disruptive behaviour. Thankfully incidents of this type are rare but the when they do occur, they can delay flights, affect local businesses in the airport and ultimately cause misery to other passengers.
“As we approach this very busy period, I would ask passengers to be mindful of the amount of alcohol they consume before coming to the airport and when they are at the airport.
“It’s completely understandable that people want to start their holiday with a bit of fun, but passengers should drink responsibly and be fit to fly. Being drunk or disruptive in the airport or on board an aircraft could cost them more than just their flight.”
Matheson added: “All travellers should be able to enjoy their time in an airport, whether it’s enjoying a bite to eat, perusing the shops or having a bit of quiet time.
“There is no excuse for passengers being disruptive, and while the vast majority are well behaved, a small minority can cause problems and I am very pleased to see such initiative being shown at Glasgow airport.
“Passengers can be assured that issues will be dealt with quickly and I’d like to see other airports considering how this approach might work in their own premises.”