A pair of scissors dropped by an arriving passenger at Naha Airport’s domestic terminal triggered a security panic that caused officials to close the airport for nearly three hours,.

The incident last Wednesday began when a passenger coming through an arrival security checkpoint dropped her scissors from her handbag.  An airline airport worker handed them back, and she proceeded toward baggage claim before Naha airport officials concluded there could be a security risk.

According to Naha Airport security officials the woman had arrived at Naha on a Jet Star flight 133 from Narita.

Airport officials, concerned there could be a violation of the restriction against 6-centimeter long blades, ordered a lockdown.  They began searching for the woman, and began re-inspecting all passengers who’d just arrived at Naha.  They said their concern was the large number of people in a confined space could be dangerous because of a potential weapon.

The incident affected some 120 flights and 20,000 passengers with delays of up to four hours. Eight flights to or from Naha Airport were cancelled altogether. The two security areas in the terminal were closed for almost one and half hours. In the meantime, passengers confined to the lobby waiting area were disgruntled.

Security officials never did find the woman with the scissors.

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