Spirit Airlines fires employee found responsible for putting boy, 6, on wrong plane to visit grandma
The boy's grandmother drove 3 hours from Fort Myers to Orlando to pick up her grandson at the airport
Unaccompanied minor, 6, gets on wrong Spirit Airlines plane on the way to see grandma
The boy, 6, landed in Orlando, Florida, instead of Fort Myers, where his grandma lives.
A week after a 6-year-old boy was accidentally put on the wrong flight from Pennsylvania to Florida, leaving him nearly 200 miles from his grandma’s house, a Spirit Airlines employee has been fired over the mix-up.
Following an internal investigation, the company terminated the agent who walked the boy who was flying as an unaccompanied minor to the wrong gate, causing him to land at the Orlando airport instead of Fort Myers, more than 160 miles away, where his grandmother was picking him up, FOX 35 reported.
His grandmother Maria Ramos told FOX 35 earlier this week that when she went to the Fort Myers airport she was told her grandson, Casper, missed his flight.
"I said, ‘What do you mean he missed his flight? He checked in. This is his ticket. He was checked in by his mom,’" she explained. "She goes, ‘No, he missed his flight. He’s not on this flight. I said, ‘No, no, no you’ve got it wrong, you have to find my grandson.'"
34 PASSENGERS PLACED ON WRONG FLIGHT, FLOWN 600 MILES FROM DESTINATION
Spirit airlines fired an employee found responsible after a 6-year-old unaccompanied minor got on the wrong flight. (Spirit Airlines / Fox News)
On Friday, Spirit told FOX 35, "This agent is no longer working with Spirit, and any individual whose actions resulted in the incorrect boarding will be held accountable for failing to follow our procedures.
"We are also reiterating our procedures to the team, and we are in communication with the child’s family about this matter."
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Fox News Digital has reached out to Spirit for comment.
Ramos said she didn’t find out what had happened to Casper until he called her to say he was at the airport.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAVE | SPIRIT AIRLINES INC. | 3.54 | -0.01 | -0.28% |
While the airline offered to drive Casper to her from Orlando, she said she declined, instead driving the three hours to get him. She said she just wants accountability for the mistake.
Meanwhile, the boy's checked bag did arrive at the correct airport.
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In a statement to FOX 35 about the incident when it happened, Spirit said, "On Dec. 21, an unaccompanied child traveling from Philadelphia (PHL) to Fort Myers (RSW) was incorrectly boarded on a flight to Orlando (MCO). 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.
"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."