Employees of the Irish airline Ryanair were shocked by the decision of several passengers to leave their child at the check-in desk of an Israeli airport after disputes over the need to buy a separate ticket for the child.
As The Independent writes, a couple of travelers with Belgian passports were on their way to Brussels via Ben Gurion Airport (Tel Aviv) on January 31. However, they were informed that they would have to pay extra for their child’s place before registering. Instead, they left their toddler in the stroller at the counter and went through passport control.
“We’ve never seen anything like this. We couldn’t believe what we saw,” a Ryanair employee told the local newspaper K12.
According to Israel’s Airports Authority, the couple was late for their flight to Brussels and appeared to be eager to go through security at the airport – with or without the baby.
“The check-in agent at Ben Gurion Airport contacted airport security who picked up these passengers and it is now a matter for the local police,” a Ryanair spokesperson said.