A runaway girl slipped through security checks and managed to get on an easyJet flight without a boarding pass, officials have said. The seven-year-old “took advantage of her small size” and pretended to be with adults in Geneva Airport – however, she was spotted by a flight attendant before the plane took off for Corsica.
Footage showed she was initially turned away after trying to follow crew members on to an Air France flight, but succeeded on her second attempt after slipping through a gap only large enough for a small child. Air France had notified easyJet about the incident, with the low-cost airline then handing her over to the police.
The bizarre incident, which officials admitted could have been much more serious, has prompted an investigation. The girl had slipped away from her own parents at a railway station in Geneva before catching a train to the airport. A timeline put together by the airport indicates she passed security at about 1.47pm and boarded the plane at 2.20pm. The airport management found out about her at 2.50pm.
Geneva airport spokesman Bernard Stampfli has described the incident as “eminently regrettable” – and said security checks are being enhanced to ensure all children are accompanied by adults.
In a statement, easyJet acknowledged that “an unaccompanied child incorrectly boarded flight EZS1305 from Geneva to Ajaccio”, and said an investigation has been launched.
“The crew correctly identified the child should not be on board and immediately reported it to the police,” the statement added.
Source: sky news
