A couple have been detained in Spain after leaving their 10-year-old son in an airport terminal to catch a flight with their other child.

A 10-year-old boy, who was unable to board a plane due to a visa issue, was left by his parents in the middle of the Barcelona-El Prat Airport terminal. According to colleagues at RTL France , the incident occurred at the end of July and sparked outrage from a flight coordinator who shared his experience on TikTok.

She describes a " completely surreal " scene when the crew was alerted that a child was alone in the terminal as the plane took off. The 10-year-old minor said his parents were on board the plane, heading to their home country.

The couple, who were traveling with another child, were on the plane. They justified their departure by saying that their son's passport had expired and that his Spanish document required a visa. To avoid losing their plane ticket, the parents boarded the plane and left their child at the airport.

They said they had notified a relative to come and pick up their 10-year-old son. The Guardia Civil intervened and prevented the takeoff. The parents and their other child were taken to the police station, where the son they had abandoned was being held.