Wetherspoon v Ryanair: Tim Martin takes on Michael O’Leary over the airport pint debate

Wetherspoon chair brands any limit on early morning airport alcohol sales a ‘Big Brother’ approach after Ryanair chief questions airport drinking

JD Wetherspoon’s Tim Martin has hit out at outspoken Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary over demands for airports to tighten restrictions on early morning alcohol consumption.

Mr Martin, chairman of the UK’s most recognisable pub chain, says regulating drinking at airports amounts to a “Big Brother” approach that could ultimately result in passengers being breathalysed.

Ryanair boss Mr O’Leary had called on airports to prohibit passengers from drinking pints ahead of early-morning flights, as reported by City AM.

The budget airline mogul claimed his carrier is forced to divert flights on an almost daily basis due to the unruly conduct of intoxicated passengers.

O’Leary told the Times earlier this week: “It’s becoming a real challenge for all airlines. I fail to understand why anybody in airports bars is serving people at five or six o’clock in the morning. “

“Who needs to be drinking beer at that time?”

The Ryanair chief executive accused airports of “profiteering” from disorderly behaviour which causes havoc for airlines and other passengers.

“The ones who are profiteering off it are the airports who have these bars open at five or six o’clock in the morning and during delays are quite happy to send these people as much alcohol as they want,” he said.

However Mr Martin, whose company runs sizeable pubs at major UK airports including Heathrow and Gatwick, has fired back. Any cap on alcohol consumption would prove extremely challenging to enforce, he said, adding: “It is in everyone’s interests to have good behaviour at airports and on flights.

“[But] a two-drink limit would be extraordinarily difficult to implement, short of breathalysing passengers, and would, in our opinion, be an overreaction – especially since many of the problems stem from incoming flights.”

Wetherspoon maintains that food, soft drinks, tea and coffee represent two thirds of turnover at its airport establishments, as the pub group attempts to challenge suggestions that it benefits from inebriated conduct.

A “significant proportion” of alcoholic beverages purchased in airports are accompanied by a meal, and introducing restrictions would simply drive passengers towards buying drinks from off-licences or supermarkets prior to reaching the terminal, Wetherspoon argued.

Shadow transport secretary Richard Holden described the proposals to restrict drinking as “slightly draconian”.

“There is something peculiarly British about the tradition of having a pint at 6am when waiting for your Ryanair flight,” he said.

This is not the first clash between Tim Martin and Michael O’Leary over airport pints, as the pair previously argued over the issue in 2024.