Japanese New Chitose in the city of Hokkaido Airports faced a major setback after two scissors went missing from a store near the boarding gates.
After the incident on Saturday, the security check at the airport was stopped for about two hours, as a result of which 36 Flights 201 other flights were canceled and delayed, leaving thousands of passengers stranded at the airport.
According to reports, passengers had to go through security screening again due to the disappearance of the scissors.
The mess at the airport came at a particularly busy day as people were returning home after the Bon Festival holiday. Bon is a traditional Japanese festival that commemorates dead ancestors.
Hokkaido Airport authorities confirmed that all domestic flights were grounded for two hours due to security checks.
Local newspaper The Japan News reported that a store in the departure lounge had misplaced the scissors, prompting the immediate suspension of security checks at 10am.
However, the missing scissors were found by a worker from the same store the next day, but the airport announced their recovery on Monday after confirming that they were indeed missing from the store.
New Chitose Airport is a major hub in Japan where more than 1.5 million passengers traveled in 2022.
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Many passengers affected by the incident expressed their disappointment and said they hoped better security measures would be implemented in the future.
One passenger said: ‘I don’t think we have any choice but to wait but I hope they do something more about it.’
Another passenger said: ‘It’s been a lot of trouble these days. It’s not going away and I don’t feel safe until I get home.’
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has requested an investigation into the incident to prevent such incidents in the future.
The international airport admitted that the problem was caused by inadequate storage and mismanagement. He also stressed the importance of safety protocols.
An airport spokesman told the BBC: ‘We recognize that this incident occurred as a result of insufficient capacity in the store and a management system failure. We are aware that this incident could be linked to hijacking or terrorism but we will work to ensure full management improvement in the future.’
Despite the disruption, many social media users praised the airport’s handling of the situation and highlighted Japan’s aviation safety measures.
According to another local newspaper, Damsum Daily, about 30 passengers were forced to spend the night at the airport due to flight disruptions on Saturday and to accommodate them, the airport provided them with sleeping bags and mats on the fourth floor of the terminal.
The Independent has contacted the New Chitose Airport for comment.
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2024-08-20 22:02:50
