Dad accused of trafficking own daughter demands apology from airline

One father has been accused of trafficking his own daughter and has since demanded an apology from the airline.

The airline in question, Southwest, is yet to apologise for the ordeal which saw Virginia dad, John Kerrigan, get questioned at the Norfolk International Airport last month (21 October 2024).

Kerrigan was trying to disembark the plane with his 15-year-old daughter and her 16-year-old friend when the flight crew reportedly assumed he was trafficking the two teenagers, and notified security.

One father was accused of trafficking his own daughter on a Southwest Airlines flight last month (Mario Tama / Staff / Getty Images)

A flight attendant reportedly approached the two children and questioned them about their relationship with Kerrigan, who was out of his seat using the plane’s restroom.

"She keeps asking if we’re all right and if we know you," Kerrigan recalled his daughter telling him, according to WAVY TV 10 "And I said it seemed strange."

Three officers then escorted him down the aisle from his back seat and all the way off the plane.

"[They said,] 'Sir, would you follow us? We’d like to ask you some questions'," Kerrigan said, recalling the situation.

"I said, 'This is offensive'. I did find it very offensive. I mean, I hadn’t done anything wrong," he added.

Airport officials reportedly questioned the father for 20 minutes, but eventually let him go without charging him.

Kerrigan was understandably humiliated by the situation and has since demanded an apology from Southwest Airlines, who instead offered him a $1,500 voucher as compensation, the New York Post reports.

He also claimed he received an email from Southwest, but there wasn't any 'sorry' written in it.

The airline did, however, reportedly say that they 'regret your disappointment'.

"It’s kind of like a non-apology type of 'thank you' or 'have a nice day'-type of thing," Kerrigan told WAVY.

The father continued: "It didn’t seem to faze them too much. I guess it’s just a large corporation and they figure they’ll take a publicity hit here or there."

The outlet reports that Kerrigan contacted an attorney about suing Southwest, but 'was advised to simply accept the $1,500 flight credit Southwest is giving as compensation for his trouble'.

Kerrigan 'agrees with any effort to curb human trafficking' but added: "But the way they’re going to get you off the plane like that.

"I think is complete BS."

Southwest Airline's website states that its employees are trained on detecting the warning signs of human trafficking and are taught the protocols for alerting law enforcement officials.

Tyla has reached out to Southwest Airlines for comment.