11-Year-Old Boy Boards Plane Unnoticed At Manchester Airport

[News_Editor]

11-year-old boy boards plane unnoticed at Manchester Airport < br />

2012-07-26 10:27:24 GMT+7 (ICT)

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND (BNO NEWS) -- An 11-year-old boy managed to board a plane at Manchester Airport in England Tuesday without having a passport, ticket or boarding pass, airline and airport officials said on Wednesday. Three airline staff members have been suspended.

The young boy was shopping with his mother about a mile (1.6 kilometer) from Manchester International Airport when he ran off and made his way to the airport, where he mingled with several families as he approached security. He then proceeded to board Jet2.com flight LS791 unnoticed.

"Thirty minutes into the flight the crew members were made aware by passengers and we alerted the police immediately," a Jet2.com spokesperson said. Security and staff from the airline looked after the boy when he arrived at Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport in Rome, and he was later flown back to Manchester where he was reunited with his family.

"This extremely serious matter is now being urgently investigated by officials from the airport and airline," a Manchester Airport spokesperson said. "It is clear that documentation has not been checked correctly at security and the boarding gate. The boy went through full security screening so the safety of passengers and the aircraft was never compromised."

Jet2.com, Manchester Airport and the Department for Transport are all investigating the unusual incident. "We are reviewing all of our procedures in light of this incident and three members of staff involved have been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation," the airline spokesperson said. "Passengers can rest assured that this is an isolated incident and at no time was there any safety risk."

The Jet2.com spokesperson said its staff are not required to do a head count when passengers are taken to the aircraft through a jet bridge, but this policy has now been changed following Tuesday's incident. "Head counts have immediately been put in place across each of our flights from all airports, including those where air bridges are in use," she said.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-07-26

[GentlemanJim]

Well that beats sitting in front of the computer playing games all day! Better watch him now, he will have the adventure bug.

[GiHadOrange]

Well that beats sitting in front of the computer playing games all day! Better watch him now, he will have the adventure bug.

.. or to hang out at the shopping mall all day.

Back in school he has something to tell when it comes to the assignment to write about his summer holidays.

[canman]

Pretty much makes a mockery of all the security theater on display these days.

[GiHadOrange]

Pretty much makes a mockery of all the security theater on display these days.

They didn't arrested him and ship him off to gitmo.

That means that the security theater doesn't hassle 11 years old kids and sees them as risk.

[canuckamuck]

That is so much cooler than anything I did as a kid.

[Bluespunk]

30 minutes into the flight!!! That's crazy, how the hell did it take that long to spot him. What sort of half arsed airline does not do a head count. Ain't flying with these muppets.

[GentlemanJim]

Pretty much makes a mockery of all the security theater on display these days.

But the security measures are just that...theater. Designed to make the masses THINK that the Government have everything under control, and to persuade you that you MUST comply. I once saw some security guards putting slabs of 24 bottles of water through an x-ray machine!!!!!!! The water you cannot carry through because it isn't secure, well back of house the token security check was to put it through an x-ray machine. Not a machine for detecting chemical or explosive residue, nope, bottles of water in an x-ray machine. After that rigorous check, which can be done with the Mk1 Eyeball, then of course it is ok for you to take on an aircraft!!

Maybe the young boy has recently watched the movie "catch me if you can'. In 9 years he may make it to the flight deck!!

[cdnvic]

Reminds me of that scene in "Love Actually"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAtsvUcKNgU

[MrRed]

I don't know what the fuss is all about we start them young in Manchester....jibbing is considered an art form ...well done young chap!!

[maidu]

uh oh, don't give the Muslim radicals another way to blow up planes. Pack a kid's backpack with explosives and tell him he gets a big box of chocolates when he arrives at the other airport.

[Payboy]

uh oh, don't give the Muslim radicals another way to blow up planes. Pack a kid's backpack with explosives and tell him he gets a big box of chocolates when he arrives at the other airport.

72 virgins no longer appealing?

[MrRed]

30 minutes into the flight!!! That's crazy, how the hell did it take that long to spot him. What sort of half arsed airline does not do a head count. Ain't flying with these muppets.

He must of pushed his luck and asked for a Gin and Tonic in Business Class

[mca]

I don't know what the fuss is all about we start them young in Manchester

Yeah I'm surprised he didn't try to hotwire and twock the plane.

[colinneil]

Travelling through manchester i was told take of your shoes take of your belt show your boarding card etc etc . not only airline staff at fault airport security at fault not checking boarding cards of passengers going through bloody lazy buggers