An 11-year-old boy was kicked off a Jetstar flight after he and his sister were not accompanied by an adult.
The family was supposed to travel to the Gold Coast for a long weekend in October. However, their father was suddenly removed from the flight after his work commitments prevented him from traveling.
After learning about the incident, Emma Garland, the mother of the boy, contacted Qantas, the company that arranged the flight, to confirm that her kids would still be able to travel.
She was told that since their daughter was 13, they would still be able to complete the trip.
Mrs Garland claimed that upon being seated, her son was suddenly removed from the plane without any explanation.
She appeared on the Today Show, where she described the incident as a distressing and difficult time for her family. Host Karl Stefanovic and reporter Alison Langdon referred to it as a parent’s worst nightmare.
It was the first time that Jack and Scarlett had traveled on their own, and it was very stressful for the family. Jack was removed from the plane, but his sister was unable to get off.
This meant that she had to travel to the Gold Coast without her older brother.
According to Mrs Garland, no one told Scarlett about what was happening to her brother. Upon reaching the Gold Coast, she was left wondering what had happened to her sibling.
The budget airline has issued an apology, and a spokesperson admitted that staff members should have handled the situation better.
In a statement, the company apologized to the Garland family. It noted that although it welcomes young passengers on its planes, it does not provide an unaccompanied minor service.
To ensure that young travelers meet the necessary requirements, the airline requires that they be accompanied by an adult.
According to the company, young travelers under the age of 15 are allowed to travel on their own, provided they are accompanied by an adult.
The spokesperson said that they will look into why Mrs Garland was not informed about the requirements before her son traveled.
The company also apologized to the Garland family for the delay in processing their refund. It noted that the refunds were being processed for all of their bookings.
Mrs Garland said that she would like an apology directly from the company.