THE unhappy experience of Billy Bown raises questions about the air industry's commitment to customer service and passenger safety.

Twelve-year-old Billy, from Ryedale, was flying on his own for the first time. His family were certain he was mature enough to handle the experience. He would probably need some assistance from airport and airline staff, and they were confident he would receive that.

Their confidence proved worryingly misplaced.

At almost every point in Billy's journey he was let down. Here was a boy travelling on his own: you would expect someone from Heathrow Airport to have taken him under their wing. A staff member should have made it their personal responsibility to see him on to the right flight, and to make sure he would be met at the other end.

Instead, various bmi officials checked his ticket - and shunted him on to the wrong plane.

He arrived in Teesside. His family were waiting for him in Leeds. It must have been very nerve-wracking for young Billy to be alone in a strange environment without a friendly face in sight. For his mum in Leeds, it was terrifying.

Teesside airport staff, too, took their time in helping the young man. It was not until all the other passengers had departed that he was approached, and the mistake was discovered.

The airline has apologised and offered compensation. We hope bmi bosses now consider retraining their staff to be more alert to the needs of vulnerable passengers.

And they must look again at their security systems. It is shocking, at a time when the air industry is supposed to be on the highest alert against terrorist attacks, that a passenger's ticket can be supposedly scrutinised several times without a major error being spotted.

Updated: 11:19 Wednesday, June 04, 2003