Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin dismisses Ryanair chief’s call for airport booze ban

By Rachel Vickers-Price, PA

The founder of JD Wetherspoon has dismissed calls to curb alcohol consumption at airports after calls for tighter controls were made by Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary.

Tim Martin, commander in chief at the British pub giant, told the Telegraph there had been “no complaints about our pubs from the airport authorities or airlines” in “recent years”, adding Wetherspoons airport pubs no longer serve shots.

“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,” he said.

In the Telegraph, Ryanair identified four airports that airline staff find particularly problematic – Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Wetherspoons has three pubs at Gatwick, two at Heathrow, and one at Stansted. All bar one are located beyond airport security and all are covered by CCTV.

Mr Martin told The Telegraph that evidence suggests, in most instances of in-flight drunk, violent or antisocial behaviour, the majority occurred on flights inbound to Britain and Ireland.

His comments come after Mr O’Leary called for alcohol limits in airports to tackle a rise in disorder on flights.

Mr O’Leary said passengers should be restricted to two drinks per journey to curb what he says is an increase in antisocial behaviour and violence.

He told the Telegraph violent outbursts are occurring weekly with alcohol, especially when mixed with other substances.

“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,” he said, adding it was difficult for airlines to identify inebriated people at the gate, especially when boarding in a group.

“As long as they can stand up and shuffle they will get through. Then when the plane takes off we see the misbehaviour.”

Mr O’Leary said crew members and other passengers have become targets of delays adding to the problem of longer drinking times at airports.

“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,” he said.

“It’s the mix. You get much more aggressive behaviour that becomes very difficult to manage.”

Mr O’Leary said Ryanair staff search bags before passengers are allowed to board flights to Ibiza, one of the “party destinations” he says are worst affected.