11-Year-Old Boards Plane To Rome Without Any Paperwork

Despite not having a passport, a ticket, or a boarding pass, an 11-year-old boy managed to board a plane in Manchester destined for Rome.

He was not discovered until the Jet2 flight was already in the air.

It is understood that he got through security by mingling with families going through Terminal 1 on Tuesday afternoon.

A Manchester Airport spokesman said a number of airline staff have been suspended.

The boy went straight to the nearest aircraft that was boarding - the flight to Rome - where he was also missed during a head-count on board the plane.

The spokesman said: "It is clear that documentation has not been checked correctly at security and the boarding gate.

"The boy went through full security screening, so the safety of passengers and the aircraft was never compromised."

A spokesperson for Jet2.com said: “We have launched a full investigation into what is a serious incident, and the staff involved have been suspended pending the outcome.

"The boy has been returned safely to his family."

He stayed on board the plane when it landed at Rome Fiumicino Airport and was flown back to Manchester when the plane returned on Tuesday evening.

It is believed the boy had earlier run away from home.

(H)