PASSENGERS are now banned from drinking alcohol purchased from duty free shops under new rules.

It's hoped that the initiative will tackle the increasing number of in-flight incidents and disruptions caused by drunken travellers.

The new policy has been introduced by World Duty Free, according to The Times, who own most of the duty free shops in airports across the UK.

Any alcohol bought by passengers in any of its shops will be given in sealed bags, which must remain sealed until they leave the flight.

All alcohol will be included - from beer and wine to spirits - no matter what size they are.

And the bags are now marked, "Do not open alcohol purchases until your final destination".

A World Duty Free spokesperson told Sun Online Travel: "We voluntarily took the step of introducing sealed bags for liquor purchases in all airport locations in which we operate.

"We have stores in 24 airport locations across the UK and we do this in all those locations in which we operate.

"All spirits/types of alcohol regardless of size are put into the sealed bags."

The new rules come as alcohol-fuelled disruptions are on the rise, with Civil Aviation Authority figures revealing 422 serious incidents in 2017.

However, airlines have said that the incidents are in the "thousands" but they are not logged by aviation regulators with only cases which sees the aircraft at risk being reported.