It seems that any time a rule has been set into place, people figure out loopholes. This has been especially true during COVID. For example:
- Americans figuring out way to get to European countries that weren’t allowing U.S. citizens to visit
- How some could cross the Cananda-U.S. border, even though the border was closed (this is a legal loophole)
- How Americans could enter the Bahamas when it was closed to most U.S. citizens (this one was actually invented by the Bahamas!)
Well, there’s another loophole that someone figured out. This time it’s not in North America though, it’s in Ireland.
Effective October 21, Ireland has been in in the midst of a 5-week lockdown in an attempt to quell surging coronavirus cases. All non-essential establishments have closed, including a very important part of the country’s economic and social culture, the country’s pubs.
Meanwhile, Ireland’s airports are considered essential services, so they remain open, as do their all of their food and beverage outlets.
So what did four cunning Irishmen do? This:
When the pubs are closed and the only place serving is the airport, so you book a €9.99 flight (that you have no intention of getting on) to go for beers with the lads, down there for dancing. / PC: Facebook
These cheeky (I live using the word “cheeky.” Mostly because I’m cheeky) guys bought themselves cheap airline tickets and used them as their “entry fee” to get into Dublin Airport. That allowed them to go to the pubs inside the airport to buy themselves a pint or two.
Granted, the rule is that you have to buy a €9 meal in order to be able to buy any alcohol. So they’re paying €9 for a flight they’re not going to take, on top of €9 for a meal (so a little more than $21) before they can buy any beer. I guess they figure desperate times call for desperate measures.
Dublin Airport hasn’t confirmed or denied that this has been happening (although c’mon…the guy posted PICTURES!). But they have threatened punishment to those who buy airline tickets for the sole purpose of being able to go to the pub.
From a Dublin Airport spokesperson:
“The Government has indicated that the operation of Irish airports is an ‘essential service’ within the Level 5 guidelines.
“The provision of food and beverage facilities in the airside area – i.e. after security – to the very small number of people who are travelling at present is part of that service. The operator of the outlet in question requires anyone purchasing alcohol to also purchase a substantial meal at a cost of €9.
“If, as is claimed, four individuals went through security with no intention to travel, but rather to avail of that food and beverage service, that would appear to be a breach of airport bye-laws which state that ‘a person may not engage in any activity which jeopardises or interferes with the … orderly operation of an airport’.”
The spokesperson added that the foursome could face a court appearance if the claim proved to be true. They insisted there was no evidence that it had happened beyond the single Facebook post.
As if they’d know???
Feature Photo: Ardfern/Wikimedia
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
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