A deaf man has made a formal complaint after he and his assistance dog were denied access to an airport shuttle bus.

Tony McMurray, of Priory Close, Royston, attempted to board the bus with his dog, Mac, as he was dropping his partner off at Luton Airport.

However, the driver of the vehicle, which is operated by APCOA Parking, refused to take him because he said dogs were not allowed to travel.

Mr McMurray said: “The driver said ‘no dogs allowed on the bus’, even though Mac had his coat on which means he can go anywhere he likes in the airport, and I produced documents to that effect.

“He then called his manager, who didn’t seem to know the law either.”

Eventually Mr McMurray was given a ride to the terminal in the manager’s work van.

He said: “I’ve had Mac for 10 years, and you get these kind of things happen occasionally. I wouldn’t usually make a big issue out of it, but I went to the disability help desk to make a complaint and spoke to three or four people.

“They all seemed to think it was a bit of a giggle. They didn’t even offer to let me take the bus back, they just said I could ride back in this van.

“It could happen to anyone. I wasn’t there to check in, but you can take hearing dogs onto planes so I could have had a flight to catch.”

Retired engineer Mr McMurray has complained to APCOA – who sent him an email apologising for the incident – as well as to Luton Airport’s operator.

He said: “Unfortunately I think it’s a sign of the times now – people just don’t care.”

Mac, a border terrier, is provided to Mr McMurray by the charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.

The Crow attempted to contact APCOA Parking this week, but had not received a response at the time of going to press.