Lost in Atlanta: Boy, 11, makes it through airport security without boarding pass

In a move reminiscent of the Home Alone movies, an 11-year-old boy nearly managed to board a Delta flight in Atlanta, without a ticket or ID. Photo / Supplied

Many kids threaten to run away from home – but one 11-year-old took it to the extreme, nearly managing to board a flight without a ticket or ID.

In a move reminiscent of the Home Alone movies, the Atlanta boy – who reportedly "just wanted to get away" – boarded a bus to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, walked up to security and confidentially made his way through.

Despite not having a boarding pass, the pyjama-clad boy was even screened by the Transport Security Administration (TSA), before attempting to blend in with another family and board a Delta flight.

Atlanta' Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic. Photo / Getty Images

It was then that he was spotted by an airport worker who asked where his parents were – the boy then ran off and was chased through the airport by security.

Sari Koshetz, a TSA representative, told local TV station WSB-TV the TSA was not in the wrong for letting the child through security, as minors are not required to show identification.

However, she had no comment about the non-existent boarding pass.

"That sounds like we still have a lot of problems, if a child can get through security and get to a plane, and board a plane… you have to ask yourself, where's the ticket? Where's the parent? This is a horrendous breach of security, no doubt about it," security expert Brent C. Brown told CBS46.

Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport has been the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic since 1998, with 104 million passengers passing through in 2017.

When confronted at home, the child's mother was unable to explain how the boy had managed to sneak out and get so close to boarding a flight – telling a WSB-TV reporter, "OK, well you should be at the airport asking them how that happened."

The 11-year-old was returned home to his mother and child protective services had been notified, according to the TV station.