She is old enough to get married, join the army and ride a motorbike but it seems 16-year-old Eilidh Strathie is not mature enough to board a passenger jet by herself.
The outraged teenager was left stranded after she was barred from getting on a flight to Portugal seemingly because of the Madeleine McCann case.
Eilidh was due to fly with Jet2 from Edinburgh to Faro last Tuesday to spend a week with her friend and her friend’s grandparents in a villa near Albufiera.
It was to be her first experience of flying alone, but at the very last minute Jet2 staff told her she would not be allowed to board the plane “because of the Madeleine McCann case”.
Eilidh said: “My mum and dad took me to the airport and waited until I was through security.
“I went to the gate when boarding was called, but when I got to the desk the woman took me out of the queue and said I could not fly as I didn’t have a letter giving my parents’ consent and saying who was picking me up at the other end.
“It was really embarrassing.”
Eilidh’s mum, Corinna Strathie, was shocked when she got a call just 25 minutes before Eilidh’s flight was due to leave.
Corinna, 42, said: “We’d left the airport by that time to go to work, and the Jet2 staff told us Eilidh would only be allowed to board if we quickly emailed our consent and the details of who she would be staying with.
“We tried desperately to send it, but the phone reception wasn’t good and the emails simply wouldn’t go through. It was heartbreaking and so frustrating.”
A Jet2.com spokesman said: “We’re sorry Eilidh and her family had such a frustrating experience.
“Jet2.com follows the clear advice set out by the Portuguese authorities, which can also be seen on the Foreign Office travel advice website.
“We have to ask for the letter of consent and details of who is meeting someone of this age as it is possible the Portuguese passport control may deny them entry into the country without such documents. In that case the airline can also be subject to a large fine.
“However, we acknowledge our FAQs could have been clearer and will be taking steps to change them.”