(Scypre.com) – A Spirit Airlines employee has been terminated after a 6-year-old boy was mistakenly placed on the wrong flight from Pennsylvania to Florida, leaving him nearly 200 miles away from his intended destination.
The incident occurred when an agent, responsible for escorting the unaccompanied minor, directed him to the wrong gate, resulting in his arrival at Orlando airport instead of Fort Myers, where his grandmother was waiting.
Following an internal inquiry, the airline confirmed the termination of the employee involved in the mix-up. The child’s grandmother, Maria Ramos, expressed her dismay when she arrived at Fort Myers airport to discover that her grandson, Casper, had supposedly missed his flight.
She contested the information, stating that he had checked in under the supervision of his mother. Spirit Airlines assured that those responsible for the incorrect boarding would be held accountable, emphasizing adherence to their procedures.
Ramos only learned of Casper’s situation when he called her from the airport in Orlando. Despite the airline’s offer to transport him to her location, she opted to drive three hours to pick him up, emphasizing the need for accountability for the error. Notably, Casper’s checked bag did arrive at the correct airport.
In a statement addressing the incident, Spirit Airlines reiterated their commitment to the safety and responsibility of transporting passengers, apologizing to the family for the ordeal. The airline is actively communicating with the child’s family and reinforcing their procedures with the team to prevent such errors in the future.