A 10-year-old boy was left alone at Barcelona's El Prat Airport after his parents boarded a flight without him due to his expired passport. The incident, reported by Metro UK, has sparked outrage, with airport staff expressing shock at the parents' decision. Police were called to assist the boy, who awaited a relative's arrival.
Parents Leave 10-Year-Old Son Stranded at Barcelona Airport
Parents Leave 10-Year-Old Son Stranded at Barcelona Airport
A 10-year-old boy was left behind at an airport in Spain after his passport expired. The boy's parents chose to catch their flight instead of assisting him, reports Metro UK.
"As a mother, I am shocked," said an air traffic controller at the airport, according to the newspaper.
The incident occurred on Wednesday when the boy and his parents were supposed to fly home from Barcelona's El Prat International Airport.
It is currently unclear where the trio is from, but one thing is certain: only two of them boarded the plane, writes Metro UK.
It turned out that the son's passport had expired, which led to him being denied boarding. Instead of trying to resolve the issue, the parents chose to leave him at the terminal to catch their flight, says an air traffic controller at the airport, as reported by The Mirror and New York Post.
"I am shocked at how a parent can leave their 10-year-old son at the terminal just because he cannot travel due to documentation issues," says the air traffic controller in a video on TikTok, although her claims have not been verified.
Police Called to the Scene
Police were called to the airport after it was discovered that the boy was completely alone, waiting for a relative to pick him up.
"They call a relative, who might come in half an hour, an hour, or three hours, while they board the plane and leave the child behind. As a mother, I am shocked," says the air traffic controller, according to Metro UK.
The newspaper has contacted the airport and the local police.