- Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary has called for stricter alcohol rules at airports, including a two-drink limit and a ban on early morning pints, citing frequent flight diversions due to unruly, alcohol-fuelled passengers.
- Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin has rejected these proposals, labelling them a 'Big Brother' approach and impractical to implement without breathalysing passengers.
- Martin argued that a significant proportion of problems originate from incoming flights and that imposing limits could push passengers to buy alcohol from off-licences before arriving at the airport.
- Wetherspoon's analysis of its airport pub sales revealed that two-thirds of takings were from food, soft drinks, tea, and coffee, with much of the alcohol sold alongside meals.
- The pub chain also stated its airport establishments are 'highly supervised' and have strict policies to prevent excessive drinking, adding that its customers have never been linked to flight issues.
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