The mother of a 16-year-old girl says she was forced to plead with a security guard over the phone after her daughter was left overnight in Dar Es Salaam airport, Tanzania.
The unaccompanied minor was due to travel back from a smaller airport in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, via Dar Es Salaam and Doha, on a flight booked with British Airways but operated by codeshare partner Qatar.
The high-schooler had been volunteering in Tanzania with International Volunteer HQ during the school summer holidays.
However, on the scheduled stop at Dar Es Salaam’s Julius Nyerere International airport, passengers were asked to disembark due to a fault on the aircraft.
Mother Ainsley Ashton told Insider that her 16-year-old daughter went to the transfer desk in the airport at around 5pm, and was assured she would be put on the next available flight to Doha.
However, shortly afterwards, she says her daughter was informed the flight had left without her. She then claims the teenager was left without assistance or accommodation.
“She had been forgotten,” says Ms Ashton, telling reporters that staff put the unaccompanied minor in a transfer office and then went home.
“Nobody spoke to her. She reported herself to the transfer desk, so they were aware and then she was abandoned.
“They put her in the transfer office and then all packed up and literally left her in the airport, on her own.”
Ms Ashton says that around 5.30am her daughter was able to locate a sleeping security guard. Over the phone, she urged her to wake him up and let her speak to him.
“By this time, obviously, I was just like, please look after my daughter, please look after my daughter,” she said, adding that the guard did not seem to fully understand her.
Beside herself with worry, Ms Ashton says she repeatedly phoned Qatar Airways customer service during the night, only to be told a manager would be on duty after 8am.
Once she got in touch with a manager at the airline, her daughter was put on the next flight to Doha and another onward to London.
However, Ms Ashton says the experience left her teen feeling “traumatised”, fearing that it may have “destroyed her confidence.”
The Independent has approached British Airways, Qatar Airways and Julius Nyerere International Airport for comment.
