Couple abandon baby at airport over ticket, leave staff ‘in shock’

A couple allegedly left their baby by the check-in counter after they refused to purchase the infant a plane ticket. Photo / Channel 12

A couple has left airport staff “in shock” after they reportedly refused to purchase a plane ticket for their baby, leaving the child at the check-in counter as they rushed to board their flight.

The alleged incident took place at Ben Gurion Airport international airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, where the parents, who both hold Belgian passports, were detained by police.

The couple had reportedly planned to take the baby with them on a Ryanair flight to Brussels, but had arrived at the airport late and didn’t have a ticket for the child, according to The Jerusalem Post.

According to the publication they refused to pay for another ticket and left the baby in its stroller by the check-in counter.

Airport staff immediately alerted police and security after they noticed what had happened with the parents later taken in for questioning.

The manager of the Ryanair desk said everyone was “in shock”.

“We’ve never seen anything like this. We couldn’t believe what we were seeing,” the manager told The Jerusalem Post.

According to the Israel Airports Authority, the couple arrived late to Terminal 1 after the check-in counter was closed.

They wanted to go through to deal with security and simply left their baby on the conveyor belt at the area.