In a comment article, The Times said travel agencies “have knowingly sold holidays without any certainty that the flights were available”. 
 
In a letter published in the paper, Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer said: “No evidence is provided to back up this sweeping statement. 
 
“Travel agents are true professionals and experts who not only provide a great service but are there to help customers if something goes wrong. By accusing them in this way, The Times is doing thousands of hard-working agents an incredible disservice.”

The leader column also said: “The failure of airlines to recruit enough staff before a predictable surge in passenger numbers points to the shabby, short-term thinking of travel operators.”

It said airlines “had culpably and absurdly failed to foresee the surge in demand over a weekend that combined half-term and the Jubilee celebrations; with airports failing to recruit enough baggage handlers to replace those who took advantage of generous furlough schemes and quit”.