Authorities at an airport in northern England are investigating how an 11-year-old boy managed to catch a flight to Rome without a passport or a ticket.

In a statement on Wednesday, Manchester airport management called it an "extremely serious matter" which is being investigated by officials of the airline and the airport. It says that some staff had been suspended from duty, but did not say how many.

The boy passed through security without being checked, before making his way on to the Jet2.com flight Tuesday.

The Manchester Evening News reports that he was kept on the plane when it landed in Italy, and was put on a return flight home to Manchester.