Far Right Leader Faces Protests at Airline Promotion

Protesters plan to picket the far right Austrian politician Jorg Haider when he visits London next week to promote a Ryanair service to Austria.

The Anti Nazi League has dubbed the no-frills airline "Aryanair" for allowing its name to be associated with the former leader of the xenophobic Freedom party.

Mr Haider, infamous for praising Hitler's employment policies and lauding SS veterans, is hosting the press launch to mark the start of a scheduled service between London and Klagenfurt, capital of the southern province of Carinthia, where he is governor.

Tourism to Austria was hit by the electoral success of the far right two years ago, and EU diplomatic sanctions were imposed.

Mr Haider is an ardent promoter of travel to Carinthia, known for its picturesque mountains, clean lakes and balmy weather, and used a controversial trip to Iraq in February to raise the profile of the province.

The press invitation links the promotion of tourism with the promotion of Mr Haider's policies, describing Carinthia as the province "where economic growth and prosperity go hand in hand".

It says: "There will be a presentation about the structural and economic policies that are benefiting both international trade ventures and holiday makers."

Lord Janner, chairman of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said: "It is wrong for him to come, because he is known for his extreme rightwing views. We have enough trouble with our own extremists without importing them from Austria. In my view, if he comes, he should be treated with contempt."

Although the airline's name appears on the press invitation, Ryanair is not organising the event and a spokeswoman said: "Politics doesn't make any difference to Ryanair."

But Julie Waterson, national organiser of the Anti Nazi League, urged the airline to condemn Mr Haider. "Ryanair should say to him that he's got no right to use their name. By allowing him to use it, they are seen to be endorsing him."

The ANL plans to picket the event, which takes place at the Royal Horseguards Hotel in central London on June 27.

During last year's municipal elections in Vienna, Freedom party posters were filled with anti-foreigner innuendo.