Toddler Stashed in Overhead Bin on Virgin Flight

Axed flight attendant claims he was playing hide and seek
By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 7, 2011 3:05 AM CST
Updated Mar 7, 2011 5:57 AM CST
Toddler Stashed in Overhead Bin on Virgin Flight
Virgin Blue planes line up at Sydney Airport.   (AP Photo/Mark Baker,File)

A mom is still sputtering in fury after a Virgin Blue airlines steward stashed her baby boy in an overhead bin during a flight from Sydney to Fiji. Natalie Williamson says the flight attendant placed her 17-month-old son, Riley, in the bin and closed the latch, leaving him in there for up to 10 second. "I said, 'Get my son out of there now,'" she tells the Herald Sun. "I was devastated. My husband was in shock."

The steward, who has been fired, claimed he was just joining in on a game of hide-and-seek that Riley's dad was playing with the toddler. Williamson says Riley is suffering from serious separation anxiety since the incident. "We conducted a thorough investigation of the incident and the staff member involved was subsequently terminated," a Virgin spokeswoman said. The airline has also offered free flights to the family. (More Virgin Blue stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X