Unaccompanied child removed from 'overbooked' EasyJet flight from Gatwick

A 15-year-old boy was left at an airport departure lounge after reportedly being removed from an overbooked EasyJet flight.

Casper Read, from West Sussex, boarded flight EZY833 from Gatwick Airport on Thursday morning to meet his grandparents in Toulouse.

The teenager texted his mother to say he was safely onboard shortly before another passenger claimed the seat and Casper was asked by crew to leave the plane, The Guardian reported.

EasyJet have since apologised for “any inconvenience” and have launched an investigation.

His mother Stephanie Portal told the newspaper: "They left him alone in departures.

“Luckily, I had still not got on board my train to London and could come back and find him.

“If I had not been there I don’t know what would have happened – he’d have had no money for the train back or anything.”

Casper was then allocated a seat on the final flight of the day to Toulouse.

An EastJet spokeswoman told the Guardian: “EasyJet is sorry that Casper Read’s flight from London Gatwick to Toulouse was overbooked. We are investigating why he was able to board the aircraft as he should have been informed at the gate.

“EasyJet has a procedure to protect unaccompanied minors but unfortunately this was not followed on this occasion and so this will also be investigated.”