Jun 16, 2009 7:17 pm US/Eastern
Continental: Sorry For Shipping Little Girl To NJ
10-Year-Old Was Supposed To Fly To Cleveland From Boston
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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One of the many Continental Airlines planes at Newark Liberty Airport (File).
CBS
A 10-year old girl traveling alone on a Continental Airlines jet arrived at Newark Liberty Airport safe and sound Sunday. The problem: Miriam Karmens was supposed to be getting off a plane in Cleveland, where her grandparents were expecting her arrival.
"She was worried that I hadn't come to pick her up," said Norman Bresky, Kamens' grandfather. "She had no idea she was in the wrong airport."
Her father, Jonathan Kamens, felt he followed all of the airline's rules and procedures when he walked his daughter to the gate area of Boston's Logan Airport. He even spoke to Continental Airlines agents about his daughter's intended destination.
"I wrote down, on the envelope, the flight number and her destination," Kamens said. "They all seemed like they knew what they were doing. I mean, like I said, the paperwork is very specific."
A few hours later, Kamens recieved a scary phone call.
"I really wasn't worried that anything might go wrong untill my father-in-law called and said, 'Where is she?'" Kamens added.
The Continental Airlines staff had put Miriam on the wrong plane, destined for Newark Liberty, shortly after they had spoken with the girl's father. A spokesperson for the airline said neither flight crew noticed the mistake, and issued a statement reading:
"We take very seriously our responsibility to care for unaccompanied minors on our flights. In this case, there were two flights departing simultaneously from a single doorway and miscommunication among staff members resulted in the child being boarded on the wrong aircraft."
Kamens believes the way the airline handled his daughter's situation was nearly inexcusable.
"She's off on her trip to visit her grandparents on summer vacation and then she's gone. It's scary," he said. "The number of people who must have failed to do what they're supposed to do in order for this to happen is mind boggling."
Miriam eventually arrived in Cleveland and found her grandparents. She was a few hours behind schedule, but unharmed.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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