A major security breach at Sydney Airport has caused long delays for about 2000 Qantas airlines passengers.
Two persons walked through an exit door at the Qantas-owned T3 domestic terminal on Sydney Airport, in Australia, this morning, bypassing security checks.
The incident forced the evacuation of the terminal and rescreening of about 2000 passengers who had already been checked in and, in some cases, boarded aircraft. This is the second major security breach at Sydney Airport in the last five months.
“It’s our terminal so we’re sticking our hands up on this one,” a Qantas airline spokesman told Fairfax Radio Network.
“It was obviously very frustrating for the passengers and we’re extremely sorry for the inconvenience caused.
“Our hands were tied once those two passengers got through.
“We had to get every single passenger out of that area and back through the gates.”
Qantas spokeswoman Olivia Wirth said 12 flights were delayed and 2000 passenges affected by the security breach.
Olivia Wirth said they had notified the Australian Federal Police and a full investigation would be carried out.
The security breach caused delays of several hours for some flights leaving Sydney Airport and some minor delays for inbound aircraft.
According to Qantas airlines, by 3:00 pm (AEST) flight schedules were returning to normal.
Australian Federal Police officers carried out a sweep on post-security check areas of T3 domestic terminal using bomb and firearm detection dogs.
A similar incident happened at Sydney Airport T2 exactly five months ago, on April, when a power failure caused a security screening checkpoint to fail, leading to 16 passengers walking through without screening and Sydney Airport ordered the rescreening of the entire terminal.
Another similar security breach happened at Melbourne Airport on April 7.
Earlier in the day, paramedics from Sydney Airport were called to treat people on an incoming international flight who suffered burns when a hot drink was spilled. The accident happened when the plane dropped suddenly as it hit the turbulence, sending a coffee cart flying into the air.
According to ambulance spokeswoman, paramedics assessed five passengers and three crew on their arrival.
Three persons suffered minor burns but no one needed to be taken to hospital.
