Originally Posted by
stifle
They would also have to consider the PR side of things. At the moment, any business in the UK which the court of public opinion decides hasn't paid "the right amount of tax" (which amount is determined arbitrarily) gets a prolonged and strong kicking from the media, and possibly protests outside their offices, at their AGMs, etc. It is not reasonable to expect BA to bend the rules on this account and just pay whatever fine if caught.
What BA could do is have a stock of duty-paid other drinks, and there could be an argument for this.
I totally agree it is a commercial decision not to want to have an issue - perhaps for the very reason you cite. At the same time EK was making the decision it was better commercially to pay the fines for takeoffs after curfew than A) paying pax hotels and additional expenses and B) annoying the pax