Wetherspoons vs Ryanair! Ah its time to explore this, Lets come down
Sir Tim Martin from Wetherspoons and Michael O’Leary from Ryanair are arguing about in-flight violence. Ryanair is a low-cost airline and Wetherspoons is a popular pub chain in the UK.
Ryanair’s boss Michael O’Leary is worried about bad behavior on flights. He suggests limiting drinks at airport bars to reduce this issue. On the other hand, Wetherspoons chairman Tim Martin defends his pubs, saying they encourage responsible drinking. He suggests that Ryanair should rethink its own alcohol policies on flights rather than targeting bars.
This disagreement showcases the differing views of these two business leaders on effectively tackling in-flight violence. Now, in the blog, we explore the arguments made by Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary and the response from Wetherspoons in detail.
Overview of Ryanair:
Ryanair is a low-cost airline based in Ireland. It started in 1984 and has grown to become one of Europe’s biggest airlines. The company is known for its affordable ticket prices but it charges extra for many services like seat selection, baggage, and food.
Ryanair flies to over 200 destinations across Europe and North Africa. Its main goal is to keep costs low while offering reliable flights. The airline mainly uses smaller airports to save on fees and keep prices down.
Ryanair’s approach to low prices has helped it become very popular with budget travelers. It operates a large fleet of Boeing 737 planes and continues to expand its routes across Europe.
Overview of Weherspoons:
Wetherspoons is a British pub chain known for its affordable food and drinks. Founded in 1979 by Tim Martin, it now has over 900 locations across the UK and Ireland.
The pubs are popular for their relaxed atmosphere, cheap prices, and no-music policy, making it easy to chat with friends.
Wetherspoons offers a wide range of food and drinks including breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. They also have deals on drinks, making it a budget-friendly spot for many.
The company focuses on large, spacious pubs, often in historic or unique buildings. Wetherspoons has become a popular place for people looking to enjoy a meal or drink at a reasonable price.
Wetherspoons vs. Ryanair: Clash Over Airport Alcohol Limits:
Recently, Wetherspoons’ boss Sir Tim Martin and Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary disagreed publicly about alcohol rules at airports. O’Leary suggested limiting alcohol sales at airports to reduce violence on flights.
Martin disagreed, arguing that airport pubs like Wetherspoons aren’t the issue. He believes the problem is with airline policies, not the pubs serving drinks.
O’Leary’s Call for Alcohol Limits:
Michael O’Leary has expressed serious concerns about the rise in drug use among airline passengers. He highlights a shift in behavior compared to the past. He linked this increase to more people using drugs and alcohol.
Rise in In-Flight Violence:
O’Leary reports a significant rise in in-flight violence this summer, with incidents occurring weekly. He emphasizes that assaults on cabin crew are serious, but confrontations between passengers are becoming more frequent. He believes this trend is due to a mix of alcohol, drugs, and ineffective measures at airports.
O’Leary’s Concerns About Alcohol and Drug Use:
Michael O’Leary has expressed serious concerns about the rise in drug use among airline passengers. He highlights a shift in behavior compared to the past:
O’Leary points out that problems are not just from alcohol anymore. Many passengers are also using drugs, which can cause more aggressive behavior.
“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.”
The combination of alcohol and drugs makes passengers more likely to act aggressively, and this behavior can escalate quickly.
“It’s the mix. You get much more aggressive behavior that
becomes very difficult to manage.”
Challenges in Identifying Drunken Passengers:
O’Leary explains the challenges airlines face in identifying inebriated passengers at the gate:
He said, passengers often travel in groups, making it difficult for staff to determine who is sober and who isn’t.
“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.”
He added:
Many passengers may seem fine to board the plane. However, their behavior can change once the flight starts.
“As long as they can stand up and shuffle, they will get through.
Then when the plane takes off we see the misbehavior.”
O’Leary highlights a contradiction in allowing passengers to drink before flying while prohibiting drinking and driving. He suggests that drinking at high altitudes can lead to dangerous situations, similar to the risks associated with impaired driving.
“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 suggest:
O’Leary believes that although airports claim they do not serve intoxicated individuals, they still let their companions drink. This practice can contribute to the problem of unruly behavior on flights.
“The airports of course are opposed to it and say that their bars don’t serve
drunken passengers. But they do serve the relatives of the drunken passenger.
Impact of Flight Delays on Drinking Behavior:
O’Leary points out that delays make the problem worse. When flights are delayed, passengers often drink more, which can lead to increased trouble on board.
O’Leary notes: Longer wait times lead to excessive drinking, which raises the chances of disruptive behavior.
“The biggest problem we have is when you have a day of bad delays.
People are waiting around at airports and they keep lorrying alcohol into them.”
He calls for a responsible approach to drinking while passengers wait.
“Most of our passengers show up an hour before departure. That’s sufficient for two drinks.
But if your flight is delayed by two or three hours, you can’t be guzzling five, six, eight, ten pints of beer.”
He said, delayed flights are becoming more common, causing passengers to wait longer at airports. Many use this extra time to drink, which can lead to problems once they are on the plane.
“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.”
Rise in Unruly Behavior:
O’Leary mentions a concerning trend in passenger behavior this summer. He states:
According to O’Leary, fights are now happening almost every week on flights. Speaking at a press conference in London, he said that a mix of drugs and alcohol is causing the trouble.
“You have a higher rate of people on f***ng powder and alcohol,
it’s the mix of f***ng drugs and alcohol,”
O’Leary noted a rise in unruly passenger behavior this summer. He mentioned that many of these incidents involve passengers who are unhappy or upset.
“We and most of the airlines around Europe are seeing a spike upwards particularly this summer, of disgruntled passengers on board.”
O’Leary suggests that passengers should show their boarding passes when buying alcohol at airport bars, similar to duty-free shops. This would help control how much alcohol passengers drink before boarding.
Recommendations for Alcohol Sales
To combat these issues, O’Leary suggests that passengers should show their boarding passes when buying alcohol at airport bars. He compares this to the rules in duty-free shops:
This measure would help control alcohol consumption before boarding.
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.”
He believes a limit of two drinks per passenger would prevent excessive drinking while waiting for delayed flights. O’Leary advocates for a limit of two drinks per passenger:
“You shouldn’t be served more than two alcoholic drinks –
particularly when flights are delayed.”
Targeting “Party Destinations”:
Flights from the U.K. to “party destinations” like Ibiza , Amsterdam, or Ayia Napa are particularly prone to violence. O’Leary mentions that Ryanair has begun searching bags of passengers bound for Ibiza to prevent alcohol smuggling:
O’Leary mentioned several pubs as problem cases including those at Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, and Edinburgh airports.
He said that, Ryanair has had to adapt its policies to address the issue of passengers attempting to bring alcohol onboard.
“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.”
Conclusion: Addressing Passenger Safety
O’Leary’s concerns highlight the urgent need to address alcohol and drug use among airline passengers. By implementing measures like sales limits and careful monitoring, airlines can work towards enhancing safety and minimizing disruptive behaviors during flights.
He noted that this issue is now at a “record high” and suggested limiting alcohol sales at European airports to help reduce disruptive behavior on flights. He also suggest for fine for mis bahavioyr at airports and onboard airpots.
Tim Martin’s Defense of Wetherspoons
Sir Tim Martin, the head of Wetherspoons, disagrees with O’Leary about airport alcohol restrictions. He believes that limiting alcohol sales is not the solution to the problem.
O’Leary’s Critique of Airport Bars
O’Leary argues that airports say they don’t serve drunk customers. However, they still sell alcohol to the friends or family of those who are already intoxicated. This can lead to problems on flights. He told The Telegraph:
“The airports of course are opposed to it and say that their bars don’t serve drunken passengers.
But they do serve the relatives of the drunken passenger.”
Martin’s Defense of Wetherspoons:
In response, Martin refuted the notion that airport pubs like Wetherspoons are to blame for rising violence:
Martin insists that Wetherspoons operates in a responsible manner. He states that they have not received any complaints from authorities or airlines about their service. He told the Times.
“We’ve had no complaints about our pubs from the airport authorities
or airlines that I’m aware of in recent years.”
Martin suggests that instead of blaming airport pubs, Ryanair should reconsider its own in-flight alcohol policy.
Martin highlights that Wetherspoons has removed high-alcohol options from its menus to promote responsible drinking. In contrast, he notes that Ryanair encourages customers to buy larger amounts of alcohol on board.
“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.”
Location of Wetherspoons Pubs
O’Leary mentioned problem bars in Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. However, Wetherspoons only operates in Edinburgh among these locations. This difference suggests that not all the issues O’Leary cited are directly linked to Wetherspoons’ operations.
Do Wetherspoons and Ryanair have any policies regarding alcohol?
Yes, both Wetherspoons and Ryanair have policies regarding alcohol. Wetherspoons has taken steps to reduce alcohol sales by stopping the sale of shots at its airport pubs. This aims to promote responsible drinking among customers.
On the other hand, Ryanair advocates for a two-drink limit at airport bars to help combat disturbances during flights. They believe this policy would reduce the chances of unruly behavior caused by excessive drinking before boarding.
Both companies focus on creating a safer environment for passengers while addressing concerns about alcohol consumption at airports.
Wetherspoons’ Popularity and Presence:
Wetherspoons is known for offering low-priced alcohol much like Ryanair is recognized for budget flights. The pub chain operates several airport locations across the UK including a notable presence at London Stansted Airport.
Recently, Wetherspoons announced plans to invest £2.8 million in a new pub at London’s Waterloo train station, positioning it as a competitor to BrewDog’s £5.8 million bar in the same area.
FAQs:
What is the Ryanair boss 2 drink limit?
Michael O’Leary suggests a limit of two alcoholic drinks per passenger at airport bars to prevent excessive drinking.
Are there any safety concerns related to drinking at Wetherspoons before flying Ryanair?
Yes, there are concerns about excessive drinking leading to unruly behavior on flights. This issue is especially relevant for passengers who drink at airport bars before boarding.