Mon Sep 23 09:13:27 UTC 2024: ## British Airways Leaves 14-Year-Old Girl Alone at Toulouse Airport After Gate Change
A British Airways passenger has slammed the airline for leaving her 14-year-old daughter stranded at Toulouse airport after a gate change was made without adequate notice. The daughter was flying alone to Heathrow, and despite being given a boarding pass marked gate 54, was later told her flight was actually departing from gate 52. By the time she reached the new gate, it had closed, and she was marked as a “no-show”.
The passenger, JS from Ipswich, Suffolk, claims that despite knowing her daughter was 14 and physically present at the airport, British Airways staff did not check on her. She was then shouted at by airport staff when she tried to get back through passport control and security.
After an hour on hold with British Airways, the passenger was told she would have to pay £1,200 for a new flight, later reduced to £680 after she complained.
This incident highlights the alarming lack of support for unaccompanied minors traveling by air. Since 2016, British Airways no longer offers a chaperone service for young travelers, and the minimum age for unaccompanied travel has been raised from 12 to 14. While the airline claims they are not at fault, the issue is the absence of an option for parents to request – and pay for – an escort service for minors.
The Observer recommends that parents and guardians remain in the terminal until their child’s flight has departed and provide them with a checklist, including checking display boards, airline apps, and announcements for updates.
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