Queenstown Airport has reopened after a bomb threat this morning sparked an evacuation and mass flight cancellations.
The airport said at 3pm the terminal had reopened after bomb disposal experts had determined "the reported items posed no threat"
More than 15 flights had been cancelled and one turned around mid-flight.
Passengers had earlier been taken to the Queenstown Events Centre to wait out the disruption. Food, water and activities were being provided, an airport spokesman said.
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The airport spokesman said the closure would disrupt travel plans and anyone flying to or from Queenstown today should contact their airline for further information.
Food and shelter would be arranged for any passengers who needed it.
The passengers disembarked from the Star Alliance plane and walked across the tarmac to the far car park at the airport, where police remain stationed outside the main terminal.
A police spokesman said they received a report "of what appears to be an explosive device", and the terminal was evacuated as a safety precaution.
In an update about 11.15am an airport spokeswoman said it would remain closed while authorities work through a risk assessment process.
"This is likely to take several hours.
"Passengers and members of the public are asked to stay away from the airport until we have clearance to reopen."
The airport earlier said on Facebook it had activated its emergency security protocols in response to "a potential bomb alert".
“Airport staff are working with airlines to ensure the safety of all passengers.
“All inbound aircraft have been diverted. All passengers due to depart Queenstown today, and those expecting to meet incoming flights, are asked not to come to the airport until advised otherwise.
"We apologise to our passengers for the disruption, especially as this has happened at the end of the busy school holidays period. Safety is our number one priority and we are working with the relevant authorities."
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."
