Adolescent accidentally travels from Menorca to Milan
In an unexpected turn of events, a 15-year-old British teenager found himself on a flight to Milan, Italy, instead of his intended destination, London Stansted. The incident, which occurred at Menorca Airport in Spain, has sparked concerns about airport security and boarding procedures.
The boy lost sight of his parents before boarding the flight, and easyJet flight U23762, bound for Milan Malpensa, became his unintended journey. The airline's cabin crew noticed the teenager during the flight and maintained constant communication with ground teams to ensure his welfare.
Upon arrival at Milan Malpensa Airport, local authorities and easyJet staff were ready to meet the teenager. Arrangements were swiftly made for a family member to travel to Milan to reunite with the boy the same day.
The airport authorities had been alerted about the missing child, triggering a missing child alert within the terminal. Security officers reviewed cameras and found that the boy had boarded the Milan-bound flight without a valid boarding pass or his passport being checked properly.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing, with easyJet working closely with the airport and its ground handling provider at Mahón to determine how the breach occurred. Authorities are reviewing the sequence of events to identify if human error or procedural failures contributed to the incident. Preliminary findings suggest that gate staff may have left early, assuming boarding was complete.
Airport security handles cases of unaccompanied minors boarding the wrong flight by activating missing child alert systems, reviewing security footage, coordinating with airline staff, and involving local authorities upon landing to ensure the minor’s safety and reunification with their family. In this case, these protocols were followed, ensuring the teenager's safe return home.
This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of adhering to airport security procedures and the close cooperation between airport and airline staff to mitigate risks and swiftly respond to such incidents. The airline and airport are committed to learning from this incident and improving their procedures to prevent such occurrences in the future.
[1] Airport security protocols for unaccompanied minors. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.airport-technology.com/features/airport-security-protocols-for-unaccompanied-minors/
[2] easyJet incident: 15-year-old British boy boards wrong flight at Menorca Airport. (2022, July 12). Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-62120662
- The misadventure of the 15-year-old boy boarding the wrong flight at Menorca Airport highlights the significance of following general-news topics, such as airport security and travel, to stay informed about incident prevention and safety measures.
- Despite the established airport security protocols for unaccompanied minors to avoid boarding the wrong flight, as seen in the recent easyJet incident, it underscores the importance of continuous improvement and adherence to these measures, especially in the realms of lifestyle and general-news discussions.
