Wetherspoons boss clashes with Ryanair as airline calls for airport drinks limit
Sir Tim Martin has hit back at claims of complaints from airport authorities or airlines over his Wetherspoons pubs in terminal buildings.
It comes after group chief executive of Ryanair Michael O’Leary called for a two drinks per passenger limit at airport bars to curb drunken disorder on flights.
Now, Sir Tim has said Wetherspoons’ airport pubs derived only 33 per cent of sales from alcohol over the last four weeks, the biggest period for holiday punters.
The chain operates The Windmill pub at Stansted Airport, Ryanair’s biggest base, and also has three outlets at Gatwick and two at Heathrow, all but one of them located after passengers have cleared security checks.
Sir Tim told The Telegraph: “We’ve had no complaints about our pubs from the airport authorities or airlines that I’m aware of in recent years. Years ago we stopped selling ‘shooters’ at airports, as well as ‘double-up’ offers. Ryanair in contrast offers a discount on Irish whiskey if a double is ordered.
“Coffee volumes, which include free refills, approximately match lager volumes at our airport pubs.”
Sir Tim said that all Wetherspoons premises were covered by CCTV, so that problem drinkers could be readily identified.
He added: “Supervised consumption of alcoholic drinks in a controlled environment isn’t perfect but has considerable advantages.”
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O’Leary said: “It’s not that easy for airlines to identify people who are inebriated at the gate, particularly if they are boarding with two or three others.
“As long as they can stand up and shuffle they will get through. Then when the plane takes off we see the misbehaviour. We don’t want to begrudge people having a drink. But we don’t allow people to drink-drive, yet we keep putting them up in aircraft at 33,000 feet.”
UKHospitality, which represents pubs, bars and restaurants, said airport outlets provided robust staff training.
Chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “Pubs are not the only places in airports that serve alcohol and all venues, including lounges and duty-free, have a duty to act responsibly…the vast majority of passengers are able to responsibly enjoy a drink or bite to eat before taking off on their travels.”
It comes as Ryanair has resorted to searching the bags of passengers bound for Ibiza before they are allowed to board.
O’Leary said: “We used to only allow them to take bottles of water on board, not realising that they were full of vodka. Now we don’t even allow them to take those. In the old days people who drank too much would eventually fall over or fall asleep.
“But now those passengers are also on tablets and powder…It’s the mix. You get much more aggressive behaviour that becomes very difficult to manage. And it’s not directed just at the crew. Passengers fighting with each other is now a growing trend on board the aircraft.”