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SAA 'abandons' child at HK airport
Article By: Zunaid Ismael
Tue, 29 Jul 2014 8:07 AM
South African Airways planes parked at an airport. AFP South African Airways reportedly left a 12-year-old boy in the care of a stranger for two days despite a special request by the boy's mother for them to take care of him.
According to a Times Live report, the boy was initially left alone on a bench at Hong Kong Airport with "unaccompanied minor" tag around his neck for nearly five hours while he waited for his flight back home to South Africa. The boy's flight had been delayed after SAA Flight 286 had hit severe turbulence and left 28 people injured. The boy had been visting his aunt for the school holidays.
A concerned passenger reportedly asked about the boy and was told that he was being looked after by SAA. The concerned passenger though ended taking care of the boy for two days after an SAA employee reportedly told the boy to follow the passenger who had expressed concern about him.
"The next two days the lady took care of me and made sure I had breakfast, lunch and supper," 12-year-old Antonio Dunics said in the Times Live report. "No one from SAA came to check up on me."
Dunics' mother was also only told about the delay three hours after he was supposed to arrive in South Africa.
SAA spokesperson Tlali Tlali apologised for the incident and blamed Asiana Airlines for the incident. Tlali said that the airline had not handed over responsibility for the boy to SAA.
Article By: Zunaid Ismael
Tue, 29 Jul 2014 8:07 AM
According to a Times Live report, the boy was initially left alone on a bench at Hong Kong Airport with "unaccompanied minor" tag around his neck for nearly five hours while he waited for his flight back home to South Africa. The boy's flight had been delayed after SAA Flight 286 had hit severe turbulence and left 28 people injured. The boy had been visting his aunt for the school holidays.
A concerned passenger reportedly asked about the boy and was told that he was being looked after by SAA. The concerned passenger though ended taking care of the boy for two days after an SAA employee reportedly told the boy to follow the passenger who had expressed concern about him.
"The next two days the lady took care of me and made sure I had breakfast, lunch and supper," 12-year-old Antonio Dunics said in the Times Live report. "No one from SAA came to check up on me."
Dunics' mother was also only told about the delay three hours after he was supposed to arrive in South Africa.
SAA spokesperson Tlali Tlali apologised for the incident and blamed Asiana Airlines for the incident. Tlali said that the airline had not handed over responsibility for the boy to SAA.