Arlene Cardigan stood at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Virginia, holding her seven-year-old son, Justin, by the shoulders. Today was a big day—Justin was flying to Orlando to visit his father, Pierce. It would be his very first time traveling alone as an unaccompanied minor, and although Arlene tried to stay calm, her heart was racing.
The airline attendant smiled kindly, trying to ease her fears.
“It’s going to be alright, Mrs. Cardigan. Many minors travel alone every single day. Your son will be escorted at all times. This flight is non-stop, no connections. Everything will be perfect.”
Arlene nodded, her throat tight with emotion. Justin was growing fast, but he was still her little boy. Letting him go—even just for a short trip—was harder than she imagined.
It had been years since Justin had seen his father. After Arlene and Pierce’s bitter divorce, Pierce had moved to Orlando, Florida. His work schedule kept him so busy that visits were rare.
But now, Pierce finally had a two-week vacation, and he wanted nothing more than to spend it with his son. He had promised theme parks, superheroes, and dinosaurs—everything Justin loved. How could Arlene say no?
She bent down to Justin’s level, her hands gently gripping his arms.
“Ok, Justin. You’re going with this lady. Stay close to your escort. Don’t wander off. When you land in Orlando, call me right away. And when you meet Dad, call me again. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Mom!” Justin grinned, giving her a playful military salute. His silly humor made her laugh despite her nerves.
“Ok. Love you. Go on,” Arlene whispered, kissing his forehead before letting him walk off with the attendant. She stood watching as her little boy disappeared through the gate.
Arlene thought about leaving, but her feet wouldn’t move. Instead, she sat in a café near the gate, watching the screen until the plane finally showed “Departed.” Relief washed over her. The flight was just under two hours—she would wait until Justin called.
Meanwhile, in Orlando, Pierce was practically bouncing with excitement. He had arrived at Orlando International Airport an hour early, pacing the arrivals area.
“This is going to be the best trip ever,” he muttered, imagining the look on Justin’s face when they finally went to the theme parks together. He had lived in Orlando for years but never made time for them—work always came first. Not this time.
When Justin’s flight landed, Pierce rushed toward the gate exit, eager to be the first face his son saw. Watching other families hold signs, he chuckled.
“I should’ve made one too,” he thought. “Too late now.”
Passengers streamed out one by one. Families reunited. Friends hugged. But no Justin.
“Maybe he needed the bathroom,” Pierce told himself, refusing to panic. “They’ll bring him out any minute.”
But minutes turned to half an hour. Then a full hour. Still no Justin.
Finally, sweat beading on his forehead, Pierce approached an airline staff member.
“Excuse me, my son—Justin Cardigan—was supposed to be on this flight as an unaccompanied minor. Where is he?”
The attendant frowned, checked her screen, and said carefully,
“I’m sorry, sir. We have no record of any unaccompanied minor named Justin Cardigan on this flight. There’s no service request for him either.”
Pierce’s heart nearly stopped.
“That’s impossible. Please check again!” he demanded, his voice tight with fear.
The woman typed quickly, but nothing changed. Just then, Pierce’s phone rang. It was Arlene.
“Hey, Pierce,” she said, sounding slightly annoyed. “Why didn’t Justin call me when he landed? I told him to call right away when he met you.”
Pierce’s stomach dropped. “Arlene… listen to me carefully. Justin isn’t here. They say he wasn’t even on the flight. I don’t understand.”
On the other end, Arlene’s voice rose into a scream.
“No! That’s crazy! No, no, no! Tell them to check again!”
“I already did. There’s nothing,” Pierce said helplessly.
“I’m still at the airport here. I’ll talk to someone on my side!” Arlene snapped and hung up.
Pierce turned back to the attendant. His hands were shaking.
“My son is only seven years old! Are you sure? Should I call the police?”
The attendant sighed and reached for her phone.
Back in Virginia, Arlene was in full panic mode. She called Justin’s escort immediately.
“Justin! Where are you? Why didn’t you call me yet?” she cried.
“Mom, we’ve been looking for Dad for hours,” Justin’s small voice came through. “We can’t find him anywhere. Did you talk to him?”
Arlene’s chest tightened with relief—at least Justin was safe with the escort. But her frustration boiled over.
“Your father is waiting in the arrivals area! How can you not see him? Give the phone to your escort.”
The escort repeated calmly what Justin had said: they had been searching, but there was no sign of Pierce at the airport.
Arlene’s mind raced. She hung up and immediately called Pierce again.
“Pierce, Justin says he’s been at the airport looking for you this whole time! What’s going on?”
Pierce’s voice was sharp.
“That’s impossible, Arlene! I’ve been here for over an hour, and the staff say he wasn’t even on this flight!”
Arlene groaned, tugging her hair in frustration. “How is that possible?” she whispered. And then… it hit her.
She quickly opened her email where she had written the flight details to Pierce. Her eyes widened in horror. She hadn’t sent him the screenshot of the ticket—she had typed it out herself. And she had made a huge mistake.
“Pierce…” she said shakily into the phone. “Where exactly are you right now?”
“I told you—I’m at Orlando International Airport. Where else would I be?”
Her stomach dropped. “Justin didn’t land at Orlando International. He landed at Orlando Sanford International Airport!” she shouted.
Pierce froze. “Jesus, Arlene! Why didn’t you tell me that in your email? Everyone assumes Orlando flights land at MCO! Damn it—I’m on my way. Thirty minutes!”
He bolted for his car, heart pounding, while Arlene called Justin back to explain the mix-up. The escort promised to keep him safe until Pierce arrived.
Less than an hour later, Arlene’s phone buzzed again.
“Mom! I’m with Dad now!” Justin’s voice was bright and full of joy. “Thank you for helping us! I’ll send you pictures from Disney soon!”
Arlene nearly collapsed with relief. She hung up, tears welling in her eyes, and finally walked slowly back to her car, taking the deepest breath she had all day.
What can we learn from this story?
Always double-check flight details and communicate clearly. A single mistake can cause hours of panic. And although airlines provide unaccompanied minor services, nothing truly replaces traveling with your child if you’re going to worry endlessly. Thankfully, this time, everything worked out in the end.