Airline fails to accompany 14-year-old traveler at the airport despite having a ticket.
A 14-year-old boy from Iceland was abandoned at Rome airport by Wizz Air, a Hungarian airline, despite holding a valid ticket for his flight. The cause was an overbooked plane with insufficient seating for all passengers. This information was shared by the British tabloid, the "Mirror." The incident occurred while the teenager was in Italy with a youth group and a chaperone.
The event unfolded on August 10. Alfred, the Icelander in question, was participating in a fencing excursion in Italy with seven other teens and an adult supervisor. With time for their homebound flight to Reykjavik drawing near, the supervisor was left in a tricky situation: opt to leave the seven young travelers on the plane alone and remain with Alfred, or leave the 14-year-old at the departure gate. The latter was the decision after it became apparent that there was no room for Alfred on the overbooked aircraft. After speaking with his mother, Arna, they elected to choose the latter option, and the aircraft departed without Alfred.
Mother lodges severe complaints against airline
Alfred's mother has launched harsh criticisms towards the airline. "They provided no assistance whatsoever," she stated to the newspaper. "I believe he was terrified. It would have undeniably felt extremely disconcerting and petrifying for him." In her account, the airline disregarded the boy's age and the fact that he was unfamiliar with the local area. Despite making multiple attempts to reach out and formally file a complaint, she hadn't heard a single word from Wizz Air to that point. "They're incredibly hard to reach," she added.
Fortunately, Alfred was aided by a pair of passengers who had also been displaced as a result of the overbooking. "They were traveling on Icelandair and were equally helpful in retrieving his luggage," according to Alfred's mother. The next Wizz Air flight was scheduled for a week later, so she was obligated to purchase a "highly-priced ticket" to retrieve her son. In response to media inquiries, a Wizz Air spokesperson mentioned the age and transportation policies of the airline, expressed regret for the inconvenience, and pledged to conduct an internal review of the circumstances.
The mother's complaints were brought to the attention of The Commission, which is responsible for aviation regulations in Europe. Despite the airline's claims of having a clear age and transportation policy, The Commission is investigating the incident to ensure compliance with regulations and passenger rights.
In light of the situation, The Commission may issue stricter guidelines for airlines regarding the handling of unaccompanied minor passengers and emergency situations during overbooking.
