Spirit Airways mistakenly flew a 6-year-old first-time flyer to the improper airport tons of of miles away from his preliminary vacation spot throughout the vacation journey rush.
Maria Ramos stated that her grandson Casper was set to reach at Southwest Florida Airport in Fort Myers from Philadelphia on Thursday when he flew by himself, in accordance with WINK Information.
Ramos, nonetheless, turned horrified when she was informed that Casper by no means obtained on the aircraft sure for Fort Myers — solely the boy’s bag made it.
“They informed me, ‘No, he’s not on this flight. He missed his flight.’ I stated, ‘No, he couldn’t miss his flight as a result of I’ve the check-in tag,” Ramos informed the outlet.
“I ran contained in the aircraft to the flight attendant and I requested her, ‘The place’s my grandson? He was handed over to you at Philadelphia?’ She stated, ‘No, I had no children with me.’”
Casper was despatched to Orlando Worldwide Airport, positioned greater than 200 miles north of the Fort Myers Airport, the place the 2 members of the family have been to satisfy, the grandmother recalled.
Ramos was despatched on a four-hour drive to choose up the six-year-old, sharing that the key mishap was one of the terrifying experiences of her life.
Spirit Airways has supplied to reimburse her for the drive.
Ramos, nonetheless, prefers a proof of the journey mishap.
“I need them to name me,” Ramos informed the outlet. “Let me understand how my grandson ended up in Orlando. How did that occur? Did they get him off the aircraft?”
“The flight attendant after mother handed him with paperwork. Did she let him go by himself and he jumped within the improper aircraft by himself?”
In an announcement given to the outlet, Spirit Airways acknowledged their careless mistake.
“On Dec. 21, an unaccompanied baby touring from Philadelphia (PHL) to Fort Myers (RSW) was incorrectly boarded on a flight to Orlando (MCO),” the airline’s spokesman, Michael Lopardi, wrote.
“The kid was all the time below the care and supervision of a Spirit Workforce Member, and as quickly as we found the error, we took speedy steps to speak with the household and reconnect them.”
“We take the protection and accountability of transporting all of our Company critically and are conducting an inner investigation. We apologize to the household for this expertise.”
Spirit Airways permits unaccompanied minors — whose ages should vary between 5 and 14 years outdated — to journey domestically throughout the US on direct flights.
The numerous oversight by the low-cost airline occurred on the day vacation journey was stated to have peaked, in accordance with the FAA.
On Dec. 21, 2023, almost 50,000 flights took off across the US, filled with these touring throughout the vacation season.