As if flying business class wasn’t bad enough already – now there could be a wine shortage. Oh, the humanity.

At least that’s according to a leaked memo from United Airlines, which claims thirsty business class passengers are drinking the airline dry.

Travellers are reportedly consuming premium wines at three times the anticipated rate, leading to a shortage of the most popular pours.

Business class passengers have been drinking the airline dry Credit: ALAMY

“You may have noticed that our United Polaris customers are really enjoying the new wine offerings,” read the memo, leaked to the news site Skift.

“[As a] result we have been utilizing more wine on board – which is actually at a rate of about 300 per cent more than forecast.”

United Airlines has made much of its new wine programme, which allows business class passengers to sample a commendable selection of vintages at 35,000 feet.

However, that programme may now be proving too popular for its own good and United is now expecting some difficulty restocking its depleted cellar.

“When we plan and buy our wines for the year, we purchase in large quantities, often even buying out the entire stock of a single vintage,” read the memo.

“This makes it difficult or even impossible to spot-buy more bottles when we encounter a shortage, as we’re in now.”

The airline is understood to be working with its sommeliers to source additional wines so that its passengers don’t go thirsty.

United isn’t the first airline to find itself running out of essentials. Last month British Airways came under fire for not having enough loo roll on a flight to Barbados.

The airline is now trying to replenish its cellar Credit: ALAMY

Passengers on Flight 2153 faced lengthy delays as the airline sourced additional toilet paper. It eventually took off from Gatwick five-and-a-half hours later than scheduled.

In the same month the airline, which recently stopped serving free food and drinks on short-haul flights, came in for criticism after running out of snacks on some European routes.

A spokesperson for the airline told Telegraph Travel: “We are sorry customers were delayed after some of the many items needed for the flight weren't loaded onto the aircraft. We got them away on their holidays as soon as we could.”