30 JULY 2012

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Article from BTNews 30 JULY 2012

AND FINALLY: Solo flight

Do we treat the case of Liam Corcoran-Fort (aged 11), from Wythenshawe, Manchester, as a joke for AND FINALLY, or a serious matter that is worthy of COMMENT?

Young Master Liam’s ability to get on a Jet2 flight to Rome without being stopped is a very serious matter. Our reasoning for the placement of the story is that AND FINALLY is one of the most read ingredients of BTNews.

It seems that the young man, without too much thought, just joined the back of a family group at Manchester International Airport as they made their way through the normal airside access checks.  Here the staff were clearly not doing their job properly nor for that matter the Border Authorities.  Yes the airport was busy but that is no excuse.

He passed through the security checks and somehow was missed at the gate.  The matter gets very serious on boarding where neither his paperwork or ID was examined.  What is most serious is the on-board pre-flight head count.  Perhaps the cabin crew were being hassled by a pilot anxious to meet his slot, but that is no excuse.  Someone was not doing their job properly.  The consequences could have been very serious.

The outcome of the episode is that no harm was done and we have all learnt a lesson.  However let us hope that airport staff will not use the incident as an excuse for lack of courtesy when checking passengers, their livelihood, at airports.  Flying can still be a pleasure.

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