Boy left stranded by airline

An Upper Hutt boy was brought to tears after Jetstar refused to allow him on a plane back home to his family.

Luke Te Moana, 13, had no trouble boarding a plane from Wellington to Auckland on Friday with no identification but a lack of ID meant the airline would not let him board his Sunday night return flight.

Jetstar is standing by its refusal, with a spokeswoman pointing out it has ‘‘policies in place for young people travelling without adults’’.

It acknowledged it was a ‘‘frustrating experience’’ and it was going to contact Luke’s family to discuss it.

Luke said he was made to wait for up to an hour in the departure lounge on Sunday night while other passengers boarded then was told, ‘‘you can’t go on the plane because you are too young’’.

He was left to fend for himself alone in Auckland airport till his uncle, Pat Moana - who had waved him off through the security gates more than an hour earlier - returned to collect him, ‘‘upset [and] distraught’’.

Moana said he was told by Jetstar staff that policy meant any unaccompanied minor under the age of 16 had to have identification to be allowed to board a Jetstar plane.

A staff member, who had witnessed the debacle, came over and gave Luke some food vouchers. ‘‘[Luke] just burst into tears.’’ The ordeal ended after Luke’s passport was photocopied by his father and sent to Jetstar. Luke flew to Wellington on Monday.