Domestic and international flights are tipped to face days of major disruptions just as school holidays draw to a close and families return home after a bomb scare at Queenstown Airport.
The airport’s chief executive officer, Glen Sowry, said civil aviation security flagged an electronic device used for heating boots as a possible threat when it was spotted during bag screening.
Before the device was discovered to be innocuous, bomb disposal specialists looked at x-ray images of it and agreed a serious emergency response was appropriate, Sowry said.
Authorities evacuated the airport’s terminal and alerted police, who in turn brought the New Zealand Defence Force’s (NZDF) explosive ordinance disposal squadron after the device was flagged about 8.40am today.
With heightened security, emergency services told people to stay away from the airport and passengers scrambled to evacuation points, while at least one flight was diverted and dozens more were cancelled.
Sowry said it was “a challenging day” with the flight cancellations, and backlogs were likely to continue for the next three days.
“The good thing is that a number of airlines are putting on extra flights over the next couple of days, both domestically and across the Tasman, doing all they can to get their passengers to their destinations as quickly as possible.
He said affected travellers who face delays or cancellations should contact their airlines.
“We know that the airlines are doing everything they can to re-accommodate people and to [put them on flights]. The best option is just to get in touch with them,” Sowry said.
Air New Zealand’s chief operational integrity officer, David Morgan, said 15 flights were cancelled and another was forced to turn around and return to Christchurch mid-air.
“We apologise to our passengers for the disruption, especially as this has happened at the end of the busy school holidays period,” Morgan said.
The airline said flights had recommenced since the NZDF found there was no threat.
About 3pm, the airport announced it had reopened, the cordons were lifted and anyone needing to catch a flight could go to the terminal.
A helicopter carrying a bomb disposal robot arrives at Queenstown Airport. Photo / James Allan
“We would like to thank members of the public for their patience and understanding,” the airport said.
While the threat remained active, passengers were taken to the Queenstown Events Centre to wait out the disruption. Food, water and activities were being provided, an airport spokesman said.
A helicopter delivered the Defence Force’s bomb disposal robot at the airport, and an operator could be seen guiding it along the tarmac.
Passengers were ushered off a grounded plane as soon as the threat was reported around 8.40am.
The passengers walked across the tarmac to the far car park.
“We apologise to our passengers for the disruption,” Air New Zealand’s chief operational integrity and safety officer, David Morgan, said.
“Especially as this has happened at the end of the busy school holidays period. Safety is our No 1 priority and we are working with relevant authorities.”
One of the passengers caught up in the disruption, Geoff, said he was supposed to be flying to Sydney early this afternoon.
"I've checked Qantas there's nothing happening there yet, but I've checked with some friends and they're saying something about a bomb, that's all I know so I presume what they'll do is clear the airport, just depends how long it's going to take for that to happen."
Geoff said he was relaxed about his flight possibly being delayed as he had somewhere to stay, but he felt sorry for those who were trying to leave and had flights to make or nowhere to stay.
Himanshu and Jahnavi were due to fly to Wellington but missed their 10.15am flight due to the disruption.
HImanshu said the airport was already in the process of being evacuated when they arrived there at 9.30am.
His wife, Jahnavi, said they were told they had to park elsewhere when they first arrived and then when they walked back, they could not enter the terminal and people were milling around.
"We were asking everyone 'what's happening', 'how long do we have to wait'."
Adrian Stephen-Feod was at the airport to pick up some cars to take back to Christchurch and said there would be a lot of disrupted people and flights since it was the end of the school holidays.
"We got information on our way down at about 8.45am that the evacuation had taken place, and we arrived here at 10am to find all these people milling around, and this is as far as we've got at the roundabout, we've been turned back so we can't get any further."
- additional reporting RNZ
