‘It’s Our Mistake.’ Spirit Airlines Fires Agent Who Placed 6-year-old on Wrong Flight

Spirit Airlines has terminated the agent accountable for mishandling the travel arrangements of an unaccompanied 6-year-old on a journey from Pennsylvania to Florida.

An internal investigation determined that while under the agent’s supervision, the first grader was mistakenly placed on a flight to the incorrect destination.

The agent not only compromised the child’s safety but also potentially damaged the brand’s reputation and trust.

Casper, the young boy traveling to see his grandmother for the holiday, was supposed to be traveling from Philadelphia to Fort Myers on Thursday, Dec. 21, days before Christmas. Instead, a Spirit Airlines probe discovered a gate agent in Philadelphia escorted the boy to the wrong plane charted for Orlando, landing the child 160 miles away from his intended destination.

The airline, which has been ranked by Air Advisor as the second-most inexpensive carrier in the U.S., issued a statement regarding the careless agent’s employment at the company.

“This agent is no longer working with Spirit, and any individual whose actions resulted in the incorrect boarding will be held accountable for failing to follow our procedures,” Spirit said, according to Fox 35. “We are also reiterating our procedures to the team, and we are in communication with the child’s family about this matter.”

In an earlier statement to the public, the airline said, “The child was always under the care and supervision of a Spirit team member, and as soon as we discovered the error, we took immediate steps to communicate with the family and reconnect them.”