Outspoken JD Wetherspoon PLC (LSE:JDW) boss Tim Martin has shot back at comments made by Michael O’Leary, the equally outspoken boss of Irish budget airline Ryanair Holdings PLC (LSE:RYA), over problematic pre-flight alcohol consumption at UK airports.
O’Leary has called for a two-drink alcoholic drink limit at airports to stem what he sees as a rise in incidences of disorder on flights.
"We don't want to begrudge people having a drink," he said in statements published by The Telegraph on Wednesday. "But we don't allow people to drink-drive, yet we keep putting them up in aircraft at 33,000ft."
“We’ve had no complaints about our pubs from the airport authorities or airlines that I’m aware of in recent years,” Martin responded.
“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 stated.
He added that coffee “approximately” matches lager volumes at these pubs.
Airport-based Wetherspoons pubs have already watered down their menus by removing two-for-one deals and shots, noted Martin. Additionally, all premises are kitted out with CCTV.
O’Leary added that “passengers are also on ‘tablets’ and ‘powder’” these days, especially those bound for Ibiza, making for “much more aggressive behaviour”, to which Martin avoided commenting on.