aircraft can fly with many items missing ,fairings, panels etc, what is and is not allowable is detailed in the config deviation manual/m.e.l, i recently had to despatch an aircraft with a fairly large section of flap boat fairing missing due to nil spares, no doubt had a pax noticed this he may well have reacted with horror and possibly next day a similiar uninformed story would have appeared in the press, this crap about the missing bolt is a total over reaction as usual