Well they, do, Egypt isn't a dry country. While most cafes and restaurants can't afford the license to serve alcohol, quite a number do, The airport operator can afford it, and as there exist alternative venues for those who are uncomfortable in environments where alcohol is served, you can find places serving beer.

Airline lounges are generally happy to follow the no-alcohol lead. It saves them bags of money and an amount of hassle. i had no idea EK operates its own lounge, but I'd guess it's a booze-free zone.



The airline is dry as a compromise to provide a comfortable environment for moslems at a relatively small cost to those who might otherwise have a drink on board: OK, there's certainly an additional political input to that calculation.