Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has called for a ban on pre-flight pints before early morning departures.
The airline was being forced to divert almost one plane a day due to bad behaviour from passengers, he said.
O’Leary said airport pubs should have to comply with normal licensing hours, from which they are exempt.
“I fail to understand why anybody in airport bars is serving people at five or six o’clock in the morning. Who needs to be drinking beer at that time?” he told the Times.
It’s not the first time O’Leary has called for a restriction on airport drinking.
In 2024, he said passengers should be restricted to two drinks at airports, prompting a withering response from Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin.
“We have had no complaints about our pubs from the airport authorities or airlines, that I’m aware of, in recent years.”
He said some Wetherspoons pubs 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 at the time.
Incoming flights were causing “most problems”, he said.
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