American Airlines: We Lose Your Luggage. Spirit: Hold My Beer!

[Vandelay Industries]

Spirit Airlines Apologizes After Unaccompanied 6-Year-Old Put on Wrong Flight

Hey, at least the kid ended up the the right state...

The grandmother of an unaccompanied 6-year-old boy who was put on the wrong Spirit Airlines flight by staff wants answers after the carrier apologized for the error.

Maria Ramos said it was one of the scariest experiences of her life when her grandson, Casper, did not disembark from his flight from Philadelphia.

"They told me, ‘No, he’s not on this flight. He missed his flight.’ I said, ‘No, he could not miss his flight because I have the check-in tag,'" Ms. Ramos told WINK News in Southwest Florida.

As the passengers disembarked at Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, Florida, and Casper still had not emerged, Ms. Ramos said she "ran inside the plane to the flight attendant, and I asked her, ‘Where’s my grandson? He was handed over to you at Philadelphia?’ She said, ‘No, I had no kids with me.'"

"My stomach was tight. My heart was pounding," Ms. Ramos added.

Casper then called his grandmother. She discovered that he had been put on a flight to Orlando, a four-hour drive away. Ms. Ramos described Casper's conversation with her and how he asked why she wasn't waiting for him when he got off the plane.

"I said, 'What do you mean you got out [of] the plane?' He said, 'Yes, I'm here. I land[ed], I'm in the airport.' I said, 'Give me an adult.' He said, 'I don't have nobody with me,'" Ms. Ramos said.

That's when she realized he had been put on the wrong flight. "I keep thinking, somebody could have stolen my grandson," she added.

Casper reportedly told his grandmother that he never wants to get on a plane by himself again.

Airline Apologizes

The airline has apologized and reportedly offered compensation for the fuel costs of driving to Orlando to pick up Casper, but Ms. Ramos wants an explanation.

In a statement to WINK News, a Spirit Airlines spokesperson said Casper was "incorrectly boarded" on a flight from Philadelphia International Airport to Orlando, Florida, nearly 170 miles away from his intended destination.

"The child was always under the care and supervision of a Spirit Team Member, and as soon as we discovered the error, we took immediate steps to communicate with the family and reconnect them," the airline said. "We take the safety and responsibility of transporting all of our guests seriously and are conducting an internal investigation. We apologize to the family for this experience."

The airline did not provide further details on how the mistake happened.

"I want them to call me," said Ms. Ramos, referring to the airline. "[And] let me know how my grandson ended up in Orlando."

"How did that happen? Did they get him off the plane?" she asked, running through scenarios that might explain how the error occurred. "The flight attendant—after mom handed him with paperwork—did she let him go by himself? He jumped in the wrong plane by himself?”

The Epoch Times contacted Spirit Airlines for further comment.

[Steve_R]

Who the hell lets a 6 year old fly alone?

[Vandelay Industries]

Originally Posted by Steve_R

Who the hell lets a 6 year old fly alone?

No worries, he'll be safe! The airline will look out for hi....er, nevermind!

But, yeah, a lot of WTF with that part of the story too.

[IB4TL]

Originally Posted by Steve_R

Who the hell lets a 6 year old fly alone?

Maria Ramos

[IB4TL]

In all fairrness, I was 10 the first time I flew by myself.

Flew from Chicago to Dublin with a layover in London.

[Onebadcad]

spirit is damn generous in trying to make amends:

https://www.ktvu.com/news/boy-6-flyi...irlines-flight

Spirit Airlines reportedly offered to reimburse the grandmother for her drive northwest to pick up Casper,

[Vandelay Industries]

Originally Posted by Onebadcad

spirit is damn generous in trying to make amends:

https://www.ktvu.com/news/boy-6-flyi...irlines-flight

Spirit Airlines reportedly offered to reimburse the grandmother for her drive northwest to pick up Casper,

That's mighty white of tehm.

[Mick]

Originally Posted by Steve_R

Who the hell lets a 6 year old fly alone?

This among other obvious ****-ups. So now Grandma has to make an 8 hour round trip drive to pick up Grandson because the airline doesn't know the difference between Fort Myers and Orlando?

That's a whole lot of stupid packed into one article.

[Onebadcad]

Originally Posted by Mick

This among other obvious ****-ups. So now Grandma has to make an 8 hour round trip drive to pick up Grandson because the airline doesn't know the difference between Fort Myers and Orlando?

That's a whole lot of stupid packed into one article.

In their defense, both cities have airports, runways, terminals and baggage carousels.

[IB4TL]

The real question is....

If you truly love your grandson, why would you put him on Spirit

Minor getting lost > Minor sitting next to @Cool_50th_AE

[jw38]

First clue...Spirit Airlines.

[Unsuspicious]

Rising airline prices are hurting the bottom line for human traffickers

[Steve_R]

Originally Posted by jw38

First clue...Spirit Airlines.

His parents should be arrested for child abuse for that decision.

[Bill]

@onedef92-esque thread title excellence going on here!

[sniff]

I just wish he was here today to see that his literary disciples are carrying on his good works. Hope you and yours are doing well, Jules.

[Mick]

Originally Posted by Onebadcad

In their defense, both cities have airports, runways, terminals and baggage carousels.

While I do see your point, I wouldn't put my grandson on a plane to a city that had no runways.

The rest is just window dressing, and maybe they could land on a highway somewhere, so maybe I'm just being a bitch.

[IB4TL]

Originally Posted by IB4TL

The real question is....

If you truly love your grandson, why would you put him on Spirit

Minor getting lost > Minor sitting next to @Cool_50th_AE

I was only joking!

Kewl50 only talks about going places....He doesn't actually go anywhere

[dvarapala]

Originally Posted by Steve_R

Who the hell lets a 6 year old fly alone?

Originally Posted by IB4TL

In all fairrness, I was 10 the first time I flew by myself.

Flew from Chicago to Dublin with a layover in London.

I used to fly by myself often at that age. IIRC there wasn't even special procedure for an "unaccompanied minor" - I just got on the plane like any other passenger.

Ah, the Good Old Days.

[snide]

Originally Posted by IB4TL

I was only joking!

Kewl50 only talks about going places....He doesn't actually go anywhere

He also talks about cooking, but never shows any pictures of food that is edible.

[Steve_R]

Originally Posted by dvarapala

I used to fly by myself often at that age.

You used to fly alone often when you were 6 years old?

[dvarapala]

Originally Posted by Steve_R

You used to fly alone often when you were 6 years old?

Probably closer to 10, but I didn't have any Yellow Pads back then so I'm not 100% sure.