illusions

Answer: Agree with the other answers, but the entire plot requires a complete "suspension of disbelief." The movie is filled with plot holes and implausible scenarios. In addition to no one noticing Kevin missing at the airport, all the phone lines on the McCallisters' street are supposedly down due to a storm, but Kevin orders a pizza that same night and later calls the police. His parents just stop calling the house and don't contact any friends, relatives, or co-workers for help. When they call Chicago police from Paris, it's just a single doofus guy at a desk, not a 911 call centre. A cop goes to the house, then leaves when no one answers the door, despite a child reportedly being there alone. Kevin instantly creates many booby traps in a few hours. After the next-door neighbour saves Kevin, he just lets him go home alone. The damage/mess to the house has magically been repaired/cleaned just before the family returns, all in the span of a few days.

raywest ★

Answer: I am not a parent, but I've heard that these things happen. Parents get busy and make mistakes or overlook things. The family slept too late and everyone was rushing around. Also, everyone was annoyed with Kevin because of his behaviour at dinner the previous night - even if they were mostly at fault, because of how they treated him. Everybody was sort of ignoring Kevin the next morning. Lastly, the McCallisters have four other children. They are probably in the habit of making an older sibling watch or check on Kevin. (I say this because my husband is the oldest of six.) So, even if Mum or Dad thought of him during all the rushing around, they might have assumed that he was with someone else.