1ºSomething does not add up. Is there not a boarding pass that had to be scanned to board the plane? Was there not a hand off and double check with a flight attendant on the plane. Wouldn’t the manifest show if an unaccompanied minor should or should not be on the flight? I do not buy the story that a single gate agent went so totally unchecked to be able to drop a six year old on a plane to the wrong destination without some redundant checkpoints along the way. Wouldn’t the correct flight have noticed they were missing a six year old, there are passenger lists for this exact reason. Sorry, Spirit, nice try but your story does not pass the smell test.
2ºTodd Shatzer I agree. A lot of kids today are being handicapped by parents. I’m in education so I see it a lot. I was born in 81. My cousins flew to their dad’s and granny’s all of the time growing up. As a military fam, my kids had to fly unaccompanied as well. We escorted them to the gates. Whomever was on the receiving end, was waiting at the gate. Once, my girls were adamant they didn’t need me to come inside. I was picking them up from atl. That airport was my only concern but the oldest was around 12. She got them through and made it to the pickup area just fine! Teaching them safety skills and gradual independence early on has helped with college transition especially being several states away!
3ºFor those wondering, Many parents/guardians don't have a choice because either they cannot afford to go themselves or they cannot get off work. Many kids travel by themselves especially if custody agreements are in place that require the child to travel to the other parent. There actually has been parents criminally charged or lost rights to their child over violating these kind of custody agreements so there isn't much wiggle room for personal opinion or mindset. If daddy buys a plane ticket for his son to come to him, it's up to mommy to ensure the kid is on the plane even if it means the child going alone or mommy forking out $1,000 for parking, plane ticket, food, lodging and 3 vacations days to do it(or even being fired because of it).
4ºDid the parent walk the child to the gate ?
Did she notice where the flight was going?
They usually announce it several times .
Did she talk to the people and verify that everything was in place ?
Had the child ever flown alone before Christmas?
Does this six year go other places by himself?
Walk to school etc ?
Sorry but sending a small child alone for the first time on a flight at one of the busiest time of the year is curious .
I have watched parents put their children on flights and they were very thorough!
5ºOmg I can imagine this being an issue!
the other day my dad was able to flight international with his name and DOB wrong on the ticket. We told the lady at guest cervice desk and she wasn’t concerned about it.
Instead She just told us that my father needed his Mexican passport to travel to Mexico and not the US Passaport. And since he didn’t have the Mexican passport. Mexico would most likely deny entry to him… deny entry to a Mexican born person.
She never fixed the name and DOB tho. Luckily he was able to get on the plane and no one ever looked at the name and DOB discrepancy lol
And of course the Mexican border patrol never cared about him not having a Mexican passport lol.
Goes to show that Some people really have no idea what they are doing at work.