heathrow airport

Police Investigate How 12-Year-Old Boy Slipped Through Security and Boarded Flight at Heathrow Airport

The 12-year-old boy was traveling unaccompanied and did not have travel documents. But he was still able to board a flight to Los Angeles.

A 12-year-old boy was able to get through airport security and board a British Airways flight from London to Los Angeles on Sunday without a ticket or travel documents, prompting a police investigation at Heathrow Airport.

The boy, who was not a U.K. national and believed by passengers to be Dutch, was traveling without his parents when he was discovered on the flight by cabin crew, who asked for his boarding pass. He was not able to provide one and refused to leave the plane or speak about where his bags were, leading the staff to call police to escort him off the flight, ABC News reported.

The 12-year-old was “believed to have arrived at Heathrow as a transit passenger,” a London police spokesman told The Telegraph, a British newspaper.

After the boy was taken back to the terminal, security staff had to clear the plane, delaying it for over four hours, according to The Telegraph. The flight eventually took off about five hours after its original departure time.

In a statement, British Airways apologized to customers for the delays, adding that the safety of passengers and crew is always their “top priority.”

“Everyone who had boarded the aircraft had been subject to security checks,” the airline said. “We conducted additional precautionary screening as soon as this issue came to light and we are assisting the police with their inquiries.”

Heathrow Airport said is also assisting police and British Airways to “understand how an unauthorized passenger” boarded the aircraft, according to a statement.

“The individual did not represent a security risk and, purely as a precaution, the aircraft in question was re-screened,” a Heathrow spokesman told The Telegraph. “We apologise for the disruption and will continue working closely with the authorities and our airline partners to keep the airport safe.”

Heathrow is also facing widespread concerns about cancellations and passenger security this summer, as airport workers plan to strike in July and August after their request for a pay increase was rejected.

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services
  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

  • Report: Nearly 1 in 5 Healthcare Leaders Say Cyberattacks Have Impacted Patient Care

    Omega Systems, a provider of managed IT and security services, today released new research that reveals the growing impact of cybersecurity challenges on leading healthcare organizations and patient safety. According to the 2025 Healthcare IT Landscape Report, 19% of healthcare leaders say a cyberattack has already disrupted patient care, and more than half (52%) believe a fatal cyber-related incident is inevitable within the next five years. Read Now

New Products

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities