Arlene was both nervous and proud that morning. She was sending her seven-year-old son, Justin, on a plane all by himself. He was flying from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Virginia to see his father, Pierce, in Orlando. It was the first time Justin had ever traveled alone, and even though he was excited, Arlene’s heart felt heavy.
Luckily, the airline attendant was kind and reassuring.
“Don’t worry, Mrs. Cardigan,” the woman told her gently. “Many kids his age fly alone every single day. He’ll be escorted the whole time, and this flight is non-stop. Everything will be perfect.”
Arlene nodded, though her eyes filled with emotion. Justin was still her baby, even if he was growing up fast. He hadn’t seen Pierce in years, not since the bitter divorce that had pulled the family apart. Pierce had moved to Orlando, and his demanding job kept him away most of the time. But now, he had been granted two weeks’ vacation and wanted to spend every moment with Justin.
Pierce had promised trips to the theme parks, roller coasters, superheroes, and dinosaurs—the kind of adventure every seven-year-old dreams about. Justin had been bouncing off the walls when he heard the plan.
Now, Arlene crouched down to her son’s level, holding his little arms tightly.
“Ok, Justin. You’re going with this nice lady and getting on the plane. Listen to the adults. Don’t run off. When you land in Orlando, you call me right away. Then call me again when you see your dad. Got it?”
“Yes, Mom!” Justin grinned, giving her a playful salute like a soldier. His sense of humor made her laugh even through her tears.
“Love you. Go on, baby,” she whispered, letting go as he walked away hand-in-hand with the attendant.
She thought about heading home, but something kept her in the airport café. She wanted to wait, just in case. The flight would take less than two hours. She told herself the time would pass quickly.
Meanwhile, in Orlando, Pierce was just as excited. He had arrived an hour early at Orlando International Airport, pacing back and forth near the arrival gate. For once, he wasn’t buried in work emails or phone calls. Today was about his son.
“I should’ve brought a sign,” he muttered as he watched other people holding posters and balloons. “Justin would’ve loved that.”
The plane finally landed. Passengers began filing out, families reunited with hugs and cheers. Pierce’s heart raced. Any second now, Justin would appear.
But minutes passed. No Justin.
He frowned. The unaccompanied minor service was supposed to escort him off first. Maybe Justin had needed the bathroom? Pierce waited. Ten more minutes. Twenty. The flow of passengers slowed until there were no more. Still no Justin.
His worry spiked. He approached an airline attendant.
“Excuse me. My son, Justin Cardigan, was supposed to be on this flight as an unaccompanied minor. Where is he?”
The attendant checked the list, then looked at him strangely.
“I’m sorry, sir. We have no record of a Justin Cardigan on this flight. There’s no unaccompanied minor booked under that name.”
Pierce’s stomach dropped. “That’s impossible! Please, check again!” His voice trembled even as he tried to stay calm. Sweat broke out on his forehead.
Just then, his phone rang. It was Arlene.
“Pierce, why haven’t you called me? Justin was supposed to ring me the moment he landed!” she demanded, her voice already shaking.
Pierce closed his eyes, bracing himself. “Arlene… Justin never arrived. The airline says he wasn’t on the flight.”
On the other end, Arlene screamed. “No! That’s CRAZY! Tell them to check again! My son WAS on that plane! I walked him to the gate myself!”
“I’m doing everything I can. Calm down, we’ll figure this out—”
“Don’t you dare tell me to calm down!” she shouted, before hanging up.
The attendant returned, shaking her head. “Sir, I’m telling you—there was no unaccompanied minor on that flight. Are you sure this is the right airline?”
“Yes, it’s the right airline! It’s the only direct flight from Virginia at this time!” Pierce’s voice cracked. “He’s only seven. Should I call the police?”
Back in Virginia, Arlene’s phone buzzed. It was Justin. She picked up immediately.
“Justin! Where are you? Why didn’t you call sooner? Are you okay?”
“Mom,” the boy’s small voice came through, “we’ve been walking all over the airport looking for Dad. He’s not here.”
“What? That can’t be. Your father’s at the arrivals area right now. Put your escort on the phone!” she demanded.
The escort confirmed Justin’s words: there was no sign of Pierce anywhere.
Arlene hung up and immediately dialed Pierce. “Justin says he’s been searching the airport for hours! What are you doing?”
Pierce snapped back, “That’s impossible! Everyone here swears Justin was never on this flight!”
Arlene clutched her head in frustration. “How is that possible?” she wailed. Then suddenly, a terrible thought hit her. She opened her email.
Her heart sank.
“Pierce,” she said, her voice breaking. “Where exactly are you right now?”
“At Orlando International Airport. Where else?”
She gasped. “Justin landed at Orlando Sanford International Airport! Not MCO!”
Pierce froze, realization crashing down. “Jesus, Arlene! Why didn’t you say that in your email? Ninety percent of flights come to MCO!”
He didn’t wait for her answer. “I’m on my way—thirty minutes!” he shouted, already running toward his car.
Arlene quickly called Justin back, explaining the mistake. Relief spread through her as the escort promised to wait with him until Pierce arrived.
Less than an hour later, Arlene’s phone rang again. It was Justin, his voice bubbling with excitement.
“Mom! I found Dad! We’re together now! Thank you for helping me. I’ll send you pictures of Disney soon!”
Arlene let out a long, shaky breath, finally able to relax. Tears of relief stung her eyes as she walked toward her car, whispering to herself, “Thank God.”
Lesson learned:
Small mistakes can cause big problems. Arlene and Pierce nearly had a breakdown because of one miscommunication about airports. Always double-check flight details, especially when children are flying alone.
And if you’re a worried parent, sometimes it’s better to just travel with your child—peace of mind is priceless.