M. LITVINOV REFUSED SEAT IN PLANE

Southland Times, Issue 24598, 21 November 1941, Page 9

M. LITVINOV REFUSED SEAT IN PLANE

LONDON, November 19. The British Overseas Airways Corporation refused M. Maxim Litvinov, Soviet Ambassador to the United States, and his wife seats on the plane leaving Teheran this morning for Cairo. The officials allowed the plane to take off, leaving M. and Madame Litvinov standing at the airport. The Teheran correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain says that M. and Madame Litvinov arrived at the aerodrome a quarter of an hour before the take-off, accompanied by the Soviet Ambassador in Teheran, M. Smirnov. It was stated that they were promised a passage, but that at the plane steps they were informed that all the seats had been taken. The plane carried the British Legation, counsellor, a former British Legation attache and six other British passengers. After the plane left, Sir Reader Bullard, British Minister in Teheran, apologised profusely to M. Litvinov ana also called at the Soviet Embassy and expressed regret. He promised that permission would be given for a.Soviet plane to fly M. and Madame Litvinov to Egypt. A British Overseas Airways official in London stated that the corporation had nothing to do with the allocation of seats in its planes.