Aussie airline in hot water for letting unaccompanied minors sleep in airport

Melbourne, Australia - December 10, 2016: Melbourne airport check-in zone
By Christian Fleetwood


Three unaccompanied minors were left to sleep in a Virgin Australia meeting room at Melbourne Airport after their flight was diverted.

The boys were given blankets and pillows and were left to sleep on the floor at the Melbourne airport lounge where they were housed among storage boxes, under the supervision of airline staff.

The Australian has reported an internal investigation of Virgin Australia has been launched after the three boys were left in the care of Virgin staff, following claims accommodation in Melbourne was booked out due to the Grand Prix event.

Allegedly the boys’ parents had been told their children would stay at a hotel.

Katie Meredith’s son John was one of the three boys that spent last Thursday night at the airport.

“We had no control. I would have had him picked up … from the airport by a family member,” Meredith said to 9 News.

9 News reported that Virgin Australia called her on 20 March and “profusely apologised”.

“They said protocol was not followed at all. And they are very upset with what’s happened.”

Meredith said she put her son on a flight leaving Brisbane Airport at 6.30pm. John was travelling to Sydney to visit his grandmother who was left waiting at the Sydney airport terminal.

She received a call from Virgin after the flight had landed in Melbourne, after being diverted because of bad weather.

“Regrettably, a text message from the child’s nominated guardian during the evening was not responded to,” Virgin Australia said in a statement to The Australian.

“We take the utmost care when transporting unaccompanied minors and aim to ensure their nominated guardians are aware of any developments as they arise.”

“We apologise for any breakdown in communication between our team and the child’s guardian during the course of the evening.”

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