US carrier spirit airlines has fired the gate agent who put an unaccompanied 6-year old boy on the wrong flight last week.
The unaccompanied minor, the six-year-old boy had been travelling from Philadelphia to Fort Myers, Florida on December 21. A mixup at the departure gate saw the boy inadvertently boarding a flight to Orlando, Florida in error.
Escorted to incorrect flight
The subsequent investigation had found that the boy had been escorted by the Philadelphia gate agent to an incorrect aircraft.
In their recent statement, Spirit Airlines said: “The agent is no longer working with Spirit, and any individual whose actions resulted in the incorrect boarding will be held accountable for failing to follow the procedures.”
“We are also reiterating our procedures to the team, and we are in communication with the child’s family about this matter,” the statement concluded.
ABC News reported that the boy’s grandmother had been waiting to collect him at the airport. Earlier this week she spoke to “good morning America”, saying that his luggage had landed at Fort Myers but there was no sign of her grandson.
Record-breaking air travel
A short time thereafter the boy called her from Orlando, telling her that he was at the Orlando airport.
The incident involving the unaccompanied 6-year old boy occurred during what was a record-breaking air travel peak rush.
The TSA previously predicted that the busiest days for national travel over the Christmas break were expected to be December 21 and 22, and then December 28 and 29 prior to New Year.
