A missing pair of scissors caused havoc at Hokkaido’s New Chitose Airport on Saturday morning, leading to security checks being suspended for around two hours. As a result, 36 flights were canceled and more than 200 were delayed. The scissors went missing from a shop near the boarding gates. It was a busy day at the airport as many people were returning home after the Bon holidays. Domestic flights were grounded and there were very long lines as several passengers were forced to retake security checks. Though the scissors were still missing, flights resumed later on Saturday.
Missing Scissors Eventually Found at Airport Shop
Around 30 people were forced to spend the night at the airport. They were provided with sleeping bags and mats on the fourth floor. The scissors were eventually found by a store employee on Sunday. After verifying they were the lost pair, an announcement about their recovery was made the following day. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism asked the airport to investigate the cause to prevent it from happening again.
“We recognize that this occurred as a result of insufficient storage and management systems at the store,” a representative from the airport told the BBC. “We are aware that this is also an incident that could be linked to hijacking or terrorism, and will once again work to ensure thorough management awareness.”
About New Chitose Airport
Opened in 1988, New Chitose is the largest airport in Hokkaido. It is adjacent to Chitose Airport, which has served passenger flights since 1963. Within the domestic terminal there’s a hot spa, a cinema complex, museums and the Air Terminal Hotel. There’s also a luxury hotel at the international terminal. It takes around 35 minutes on a rapid train from the airport to Sapporo Station. Earlier this year, Skytrax ranked New Chitose at number 49 in its list of the top 100 airports in the world. Doha Hamad finished number one ahead of Singapore Changi and Seoul Incheon. Haneda and Narita made up the top five.
