Wetherspoons boss hits back at Ryanair’s call for pre-flight drink limits

Sir Tim Martin said the pub chain has received ‘no complaints’ from the airport authorities

Wetherspoons operate The Windmill at Stansted Airport – Ryanair’s biggest UK base (Getty Images)

The founder of JD Wetherspoon has defended the sale of alcohol in airports after Ryanair called for tighter controls on pre-flight drinking.

Sir Tim Martin said there had been “no complaints” about the pubs from the airport authorities in recent years, reports The Telegraph.

He added that Wetherspoons airport pubs no longer sell “shooters” or promote two-for-one drinks offers at their three Gatwick, two Heathrow and Stansted watering holes.

“Ryanair in contrast offers a discount on Irish whiskey if a double is ordered,” said Mr Martin, commenting after Ryanair called for alcohol limits in airports to tackle disorderly behaviour on flights.

Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary told The Independent this week that air rage is at a “record high” and called for a two-drink limit to be imposed at European airports.

Mr O’Leary said: “We and most of the airlines around Europe are seeing a spike upwards, particularly this summer, of disgruntled passengers on board.

“I think the real challenge is: flight delays are up at a record high this summer, so people are spending time in airports drinking before they board aircraft.”

Mr O’Leary also asked for governments across Europe to introduce more effective fines for “disruptive” behaviour at airports and onboard aircraft.

“In the same way that you have to show your boarding pass when you go through duty-free to buy cigarettes or alcohol, we believe you should have to show your boarding pass to buy an alcoholic drink at a bar at an airport.

“You shouldn’t be served more than two alcoholic drinks – particularly when flights are delayed”, said Mr O’Leary.

Since 2018, the One Too Many campaign run by the UK Travel Retail Forum, the Airport Operators’ Association and the International Air Transport Association has aimed to encourage responsible drinking.

Ryanair identified particularly problematic airports including Liverpool, Glasgow, Manchester and Edinburgh, with flight paths to “party destinations” such as Ibiza often prone to disruption.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority, the punishment for in-flight disorderly behaviour can be fined for diversion costs up to £80,000 and up to five years in prison.

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