News

NEWMAN Street has threatened to throw Luton Airport out of ABTA after it organised a function that clashed with the convention’s official welcome party in Cairo.

Delegates heading for the Luton bash were ushered away from tables at the welcome party at 9.15pm - before Egyptian prime minister Atef Ebeid rose to speak.

ABTA chief executive Ian Reynolds is considering a range of options including suspending Luton’s travel industry partner status, banning it from next year’s convention in Majorca or booting it out altogether.

“This is a disgrace,” said Reynolds. “It’s an embarrassment to ABTA and an insult to our Egyptian hosts."

Luton Airport head of sales and marketing Mandy Round blamed Newman Street for the mix-up.

She said: “I told Ian Reynolds what we were doing beforehand and he was happy."