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Travelers at a Japanese airport faced a weekend of frustration after a pair of scissors mysteriously disappeared from a store near the boarding area. The resulting security lockdown led to 36 flights being scrapped and 201 others experiencing significant delays.
The extent of the security protocol has triggered curiosity over why such trivial incident could cause great disruption.
Hokkaido’s New Chitose Airport domestic terminal was plunged into crisis mode on Saturday morning when security checks were suspended without warning, forcing hundreds of travelers to endure a frustrating two-hour wait with no clear explanation.
When security screenings finally resumed, the departure lounge at Hokkaido’s New Chitose Airport was quickly overwhelmed, with passengers facing extended queues and gridlocked bottlenecks as they were forced to repeat the security process.
After a frantic search, authorities finally tracked down the errant scissors to the very same store where they went missing, recovering them on the following day and bringing a curious end to the airport’s security drama.
Although the whereabouts of the scissors remained a mystery on Saturday, Hokkaido’s New Chitose Airport gradually returned to normal, with security screenings and flights resuming as the day wore on, much to the relief of stranded travelers.
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In a welcome update, Hokkaido Airport authorities revealed on Monday that the missing scissors had been recovered by a diligent store employee on Sunday, bringing closure to the security saga that gripped New Chitose Airport.
Hokkaido Airport officials exercised caution and withheld the announcement until they had confirmed the scissors’ identity, ensuring that the found item was the exact same one that had sparked the security scare.
The timing of the disruptions couldn’t have been worse, as numerous travelers affected by the cancellations and delays were eagerly trying to return home after Japan’s annual Bon holiday, a time typically marked by joyous reunions and relaxation.
“I don’t think we have any choice (but to wait),” one traveller told local media at the time. “But I do hope they are bit more careful about it.”
One passenger remarked that the list of concerns was endless, and they wouldn’t feel a sense of relief until they reached the safety of their own home.
