Celine Tam airport flap leads to sacking of security staff

A security staff at Hong Kong airport has been fired after an incident involving Hong Kong singing sensation Celine Tam Tsz-kwan and her family.

The incident occurred on Monday when Tam's family left for the US for the next round of America's Got Talent, the Hong Kong Economic Journal reports.

When Tam, 9, and her family passed through the airport security check, the concerned staff made an utterance deemed embarrassing to the family.

According to the report, the staff was conversing on a walkie talkie when he asked the other party if this is the father who is "riding on his daughter's fame".

The staff member received a termination letter on Tuesday after HMV Digital China Group, which manages Tam, complained to the company, according to a source.

HMV Digital China handles artiste management for Tam and her father Steve Tam Shun-sang.

Stephen Shiu, chairman of HMV Digital China Group, said the complaint was merely intended to shed light on the incident and not meant to get the staff fired. The company made no such demands, he said.

Shiu said his company accepted the staff’s apology.

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