Should alcohol be banned on flights? A fight on a Ryanair plane has led some to call for a drinking ban at an altitude of 10,000 metres. But frequent flyers and cabin crew disagree. What do you think?

Shocking footage of a drunken brawl between three passengers on board a Ryanair flight from Edinburgh to Tenerife has prompted some MailOnline commentators to call for a ban on alcohol on planes.

The video showed two men fighting and spitting at each other. Passengers said they were abused for hours during the flight to the Spanish island, in an altercation that appeared to have started with the two men – said to be brothers – arguing in the aisle.

Things turned violent after other passengers got involved. Footage showed a third man being shouted at before a woman attacked another passenger.

Passenger Hannah MacDonald, who filmed the fight, said the two brothers and one of their friends had been drinking heavily.

The images have sparked controversy among MailOnline readers. 'Si from the lakes' said: 'Time to ban alcohol at airports.'

'Pingu21' agreed: 'There should be a breathalyzer at the gate with a maximum blood alcohol content. Too many people go to the bar as soon as they arrive at the airport and knock back pints.'

'Oldblueboy2' found the answer simpler: 'Do not sell alcohol at airports or on flights.'

However, not all commentators were enthusiastic about an alcohol ban. 'Kim Rong Un' replied: 'Of course, punish the millions who can control themselves, for a handful of fools who cannot.'

'Yorkypud' agreed that alcohol should not be banned: 'I think you should just permanently ban idiots like these from ever flying again. It is not fair to those who would like to relax in a sensible way during their holidays before getting on a plane.'

MailOnline contacted travel industry experts for comment on the ban on alcohol on flights. Most agreed that this was not a viable solution.

Gilbert Ott, frequent flyer and founder of travel site godsavethepoints.com, said: 'Bans only encourage more and more uncontrolled behavior, such as secretly drinking drinks in toilets or in non-obvious cups. This would only make it more difficult for cabin crew and authorities to monitor alcohol consumption.”

He called for tougher enforcement: “The current slaps on the wrist for disruptive offenders are pathetic. Drinks should flow as freely as ever, but offenders should be punished more severely.”

Marika Mikusova, author of Diary of a Flight Attendant, agrees that an alcohol ban would result in secret drinking: 'If alcohol were banned on flights, some enthusiastic people would be forced to buy alcohol duty-free and then drink it in secret. to drink on board.'

However, she acknowledges that drinking on flights can be problematic, leading to “aggressive passengers” or people unwisely combining drinks with their medications and subsequently requiring medical attention.

For a flight attendant, a ban would have one big advantage: “The less we serve, the more free time we have to just do nothing.”

Rob Burgess, editor of the frequent flyer website, gives his opinion headforpoints.comsaid: 'There are already plenty of rules and laws around drunkenness in the air, including denying boarding to anyone who appears intoxicated while boarding a plane.

“Some airlines are also taking steps to mitigate issues that arise, such as not serving alcohol on some routes, such as 'stag-do' routes.

'Dry airlines do indeed exist and are by default not that popular with British fliers. Not serving alcohol would have a significant impact on meal service, especially in premium cabins, making it a less premium experience for those who enjoy a drink or two with their meal. It would also encourage more terminal alcohol use and its associated consequences.”

Jay Robert, a flight attendant who runs the popular business Fly Guy's Cabin Crew Lounge Network, believes that this 'pre-flight drinking' is the problem, and not alcohol on flights. He said: 'Cabin crew are trained in the correct serving of alcohol and we know that if we do not follow procedures we will have to deal with the situation.

'Personally, I have never had a major problem with drunk passengers because we follow the procedures set out by the airline… [the] The problem I think is that passengers get p****d at the airport bars where the servers and bartenders care more about sales than proper service of alcohol because they know the passengers will stagger away.

'I think having a drink above the clouds is one of the last remaining pleasures from the golden age of flight, and I don't think the majority should be punished because of a few who can't drink responsibly while flying.

“But airlines and airports need to adapt to the current 'drink-all-you-want-before-you-fly' culture.”

A-list etiquette expert William Hanson agrees that restriction, rather than a blanket ban, is necessary, but believes this should be extended to mid-flight. He said: 'Drinking should definitely be reduced on flights as alcohol seems to have a different effect on people at high altitude.

'Two drinks should be more than enough and perhaps one more closer to landing for long-haul flights. Not everything in life has to be an excuse to text!'

Nicky Kelvin, editor-in-chief at The points man, agreed: 'Rather than an outright ban, airlines and regulators could work together to build an agreed framework to address these issues and agree on a standardized approach.'

Diane GottsmanAccording to the National Etiquette Expert at the Protocol School of Texas, imposed restrictions are not necessary. She said: 'I think it is the passenger's responsibility to use common sense and monitor their intake.'

And excessive alcohol consumption isn't just limited to in-flight events, she argued: “It happens on flights, it happens at parties, it happens in bars, so banning alcohol is not the solution.”

Tour operator Rob Burley expressed concern that an alcohol ban would impact business.

He said: “Many customers expect access to drinks as part of the inflight service we promote. To leave that out would take away from the travel experience we want to provide.”

However, one respondent from the travel industry was strongly in favor of a ban.

Founder of TravelSpain24 Timon Van Basten believes that the number of drunken incidents on airplanes is increasing 'alarmingly fast'.

He said: 'Given the escalating situation, the once extreme measure of banning alcohol now seems a necessary step to ensure safety.

“Partial measures and reactive policies have proven inadequate to curb the problem. Simply cutting off disruptive drinkers does nothing for passengers who are already drunk before takeoff.

“Relying on crew to identify limitations is an unfair burden that slows down response times. Technology such as breathalysers are still unreliable for mass screening and do not take misleading consumption into account.

“Some argue that a ban would infringe on personal freedom or hurt airline profits. However, the first responsibility is to protect pilots and crew.

'Given that alcohol is a primary factor in many disturbances ranging from verbal abuse to physical violence, removing it is prudent to de-escalate high-risk situations in real time. And since most incidents are caused by irresponsible excess rather than binge drinking, the economic impact may be overestimated.”