‘The poor thing’: Flight forced to land immediately after takeoff as mother forgets child in airport

In an incident resembling an odd remake of Home Alone, a Kuala Lumpur-bound flight was forced to return to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia after a mother realized she had forgotten her baby at the terminal.

By default, planes are cleared to return to airports in case of an emergency, but authorities in this instance were unclear about precedent, judging by an exchange which has gone viral across the Middle East, racking up over 780,000 views since it was posted on Sunday.

“This flight is requesting to come back,” the pilot informed a somewhat flabbergasted air traffic controller. “A passenger forgot her baby in the waiting area, the poor thing.”

“May God be with us. Can we come back?” the pilot asks.

Judging by the exchange between the pilot and air traffic control, it was a first for everyone involved, as the pilot asked for permission to return to King Abdulaziz airport immediately after take off.

“OK, head back to the gate,” the air traffic controllers said. “This is totally a new one for us.”

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The mother and her child were successfully reunited, though there are no additional details as to whether the two were allowed board the already delayed flight again.