Woman 'evaded airport security', disrupted seven domestic flights in Auckland

November 19, 2017

The woman snuck through an unmanned domestic terminal security lane, forcing the airport to temporarily halt screening.


A female passenger who deliberately evaded airport security at Auckland Airport's domestic terminal disrupted seven flights this afternoon, airport officials say.

She went through the walk through metal detector at the domestic lane unscreened, the Civil Aviation Authority and Aviation Security Service said in a statement.

Aviation Security staff examined the CCTV footage and all security screening was suspended while the passenger’s movements were tracked via CCTV, spokesman Mike Richards said. 

CCTV identified that the female passenger evaded security by going through an unmanned screening lane, he said. 

All passengers on the pier had to be re-screened and this affected an estimated 500 people.

A Jetstar flight had to be held and passengers on that flight were deplaned.

Police were called to meet the passenger upon her arrival at Wellington airport, where she  would be interviewed, Mr Richards said. 

The aircraft she was travelling on will be searched as a precaution, he added.

In all  two Jetstar flights and five Air new Zealand flights were delayed.

Re-screening was completed by 2.30 pm, Mr Richards said.

"In any event like this, where there is doubt, the priority is safety and the decision was made to re-screen passengers as quickly as possible," he said. 

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