Airline glitch sends Michigan-bound elderly couple to rural New York airport

An undated image of George Nobel and Helen Wheeker courtesy their family. via WOODTV

DETROIT – An elderly couple flying from Florida to Michigan to visit family found themselves at a small New York airport after an airline glitch.

WOOD TV reports the couple, who were flying to Grand Rapids from Fort Lauderdale, received the wrong gate number on their boarding passes.

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“My understanding is they were by themselves at a gate area and that because of a glitch with our boarding pass scanner that they accidentally were got onto the wrong flight,” Allegiant Air Director of Corporate Communications Hilarie Grey told WOOD.

97-year-old Helen Wheeker and her husband George Nobel found themselves in Ogdensburg, New York, and were sent back to Fort Lauderdale.

They are planning to fly to Grand Rapids on Saturday. The couple's grandson was relieved that the two were okay.

“Imagine two elderly people in wheelchairs getting wheeled on the wrong plane sent across the United States and then sent back, so it was quite an ordeal,” Meyers, their grandson, said.

Allegiant Air is refunding the couple and is looking into the glitch.


About the Author:

Ken Haddad has proudly been with WDIV/ClickOnDetroit since 2013. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters, and helps lead the WDIV Insider team. He's a big sports fan and is constantly sipping Lions Kool-Aid.