Two parents abandoned their infant at the check-in counter of an Israeli airport and attempted to continue their travel plans after failing to purchase a separate ticket for the baby.
The couple left the baby at the counter after they checked in for a Ryanair flight from Ben Gurion International Airport to Brussels, Belgium, CNN reported on Wednesday.
After failing to present a ticket for the infant’s travel, the duo proceeded to the security check.
Some reports state that the family arrived late, after the check-in counter had closed, and the were either unable or unwilling to buy a ticket for their child.
When the check-in agent realized the infant was abandoned in its baby carrier, airport security was called, who retrieved the passengers and detained them.
It is not clear whether the police are investigating the case. The parents, with the baby, were reportedly taken away for questioning.
The Israeli Airport Authority told CNN in a statement: “A couple and an infant with Belgian passports arrived for a flight at Terminal 1 without a ticket for the baby. The couple also arrived late for the flight, once the check-in for the flight was closed. The couple left the infant seat with the baby and ran toward the security checks at Terminal 1 in an attempt to reach the boarding gate for the flight.”
On Ryanair flights, infants can be included during the reservation process. A $27 charge is applicable for each one-way flight the baby takes while sitting on an adult’s lap. A seat must be paid for if the baby travels in a car seat.
