An unaccompanied 11-year-old girl slipped through security checks at Moscow's Vnukovo airport and flew to St.Petersburg without a ticket or ID, according to Russian media reports.
The girl said that she had never flown by plane before and decided to go into Vnukovo after school where she mingled with crowds, passed the security checks and managed to get onboard a plane, according to the newsru.com website.
The girl reportedly appeared to airport staff as part of a big family group of passengers, which included other children. As she boarded the plane, the girl said she told the flight attendant she was traveling alone and was not asked to present travel documents.
The 11-year-old said she was motivated by her desire to fly and to see St.Petersburg. However, the girl did not get to visit Russia's second city — she reached the arrival hall at the city's Pulkovo airport and stayed there until her parents called her mobile.
The airport staff then tracked the girl and handed her over to child services.
Both airports and the Rossiya airline now face an investigation into the incident and their security procedures. The girl's parents could also face a fine for negligence.
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