A security screening breach at Adelaide Airport (ADL) led to thousands of people having to evacuate the main terminal and resulted in 15 flight delays within a single day.
The incident took place around 11:00 local time on July 29, 2024.
Airport officials said in a statement that the evacuation was triggered after passengers from a regional flight entered the terminal without undergoing proper security screenings. The delay lasted about two hours while the issue was addressed.
As a result, 15 flights experienced delays, leaving passengers stranded in the terminal.
The evacuated passengers were forced to return to the departure floor and be re-screened.
“An orderly evacuation of the terminal has been undertaken and re-screening of passengers has commenced,” Adelaide Airport noted in a statement. “There are likely to be some flight delays as a result, and passengers are asked to check with their carrier for the latest flight information.”
Airport management added: “We apologize to our customers impacted this morning and appreciate their patience and understanding.”
All flights at ADL have been resumed and, as of July 30, 2024, there are no further delays.