Boy, 11, manages to fly from Manchester to Rome without passport or boarding pass

By GARETH ROSE
Published on 26/07/2012 00:00

SEVERAL airport and airline workers have been suspended after an 11-year-old boy, who had run away from his mother, boarded a plane to Rome on his own without a ticket.

Two investigations have been launched into how Liam Corcoran, who had no passport or boarding pass, evaded several checks without raising

suspicion.

Jet2 staff only discovered they had a stowaway when fellow passengers on flight LS791 realised he was unsupervised.

The captain radioed back to Manchester Airport where police called the boy’s mother to say her son was safe and well - and on his way to Rome.

When the plane arrived at Fuiminico Airport the other passengers got off, but the youngster was asked to remain on board for the return flight to Manchester. He was reunited with his mother at 10:25pm on Tuesday, and questioned by

police.

Both Manchester Airport and Jet2 have launched inquiries.

Three airline staff and an

unknown number from the airport have been suspended.

Liam, from Wythenshawe, in Manchester, should have been required to show a boarding pass when going through security, and a passport and pass when at the gate.

The crew should have asked for his ticket stub when he stepped onto the plane and a head count would have flagged up that one passenger too many was on the flight before it took off.

Jet2 has introduced a policy of head counts in response to the incident. He was, however, security checked.

Liam was with his mother at the Wythenshawe Civic Centre when he ran off around midday.

He made his way to the airport and followed a family when he reached Terminal One.

He passed through the scanner at security at about 1:15pm and then headed straight for the next flight – the 2pm to Rome.

He attached himself to another family and slipped on the Boeing aircraft unnoticed.

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