Security breach prompts passengers and crew to evacuate airport terminal
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It was a day of confusion and delays at Adelaide Airport when a simple human error led to the evacuation of the main terminal, affecting thousands of travellers and their plans.
The incident, which unfolded on a seemingly ordinary morning, is a stark reminder of the delicate balance between security protocols and the human element that implements them.
The chaos began on Monday, 29 July, when passengers arriving from a regional flight from Kingscote inadvertently bypassed the mandatory security screening before entering the main terminal area.
This breach, identified shortly before 11 AM, set off a chain of events that led to major disruptions and flight delays, with approximately 15 flights and 1,500 passengers affected, some facing delays of up to two hours.
Adelaide Airport spokesperson Dermot O'Neill explained the protocol for regional arrivals, stating, 'Passengers that arrive into Adelaide from regional airports that are unscreened…are required to be screened before they enter the main area of Adelaide Airport.'
He emphasised the airport's commitment to security, saying, 'We take the security outcomes of Adelaide Airport very seriously.'
The response to the breach was immediate, with operations ceasing and the terminal swiftly evacuated.
O’Neill said operations returned to normal, and hundreds of passengers, packed into the departure floor, were encouraged to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
One passenger shared the mishap on social media, saying they were 20 minutes from departure but then braced for a wait of several hours.
‘Everyone has to leave for re-screening! Even those on planes about to depart,’ the person wrote.
Another passenger, Roy Abraham, recounted the sudden halt to boarding procedures, saying, 'I was probably going to board in about a minute's time and then this happened, so there were probably people already on the plane who had to get off to,’ he said.
‘All the pilots had to get off the planes as well, so there were probably thousands of people behind me.’
‘We weren't really sure what was going on, there was a lot of chatter, as you can imagine.’
Despite the disruption, Adelaide local Caroline Jessen, who was about to board a flight to Sydney when the announcement was made, described the evacuation as orderly and safe.
‘We had an announcement just saying we had to evacuate the terminal and we heard that a couple of times, and then we all just started moving out,’ she said.
‘It was very orderly, very safe and good.’
Interestingly, this wasn't the first time Adelaide Airport had experienced such a breach.
A similar incident occurred in 2021, and for passengers like Roy Abraham, who had been through it before, quick thinking helped secure a prime spot in the re-screening queue.
‘When the call first came through, they said there's been a security breach, please evacuate the airport immediately,’ he said.
‘Because it's happened to me once before, I made a quick beeline out of security as quick as I could so I could be at the front of the queue again but it took them a while to get everyone out of the airport.’
‘It could be a couple of hours, it's lucky I don't have a connecting flight.’
Communication from the airport was praised by some, like Mount Barker local Lindsay Campbell, who arrived amid the unfolding situation.
‘It was a bit of a shock when I walked in to see what was going on, but I've been on the tail end of it,’ he said.
‘It's just one of those things, you grin and bear it.’
Have you ever been caught up in a security breach or evacuation at an airport? How was the situation handled, and what lessons can be learned from such events? Share your stories and insights in the comments below!
The incident, which unfolded on a seemingly ordinary morning, is a stark reminder of the delicate balance between security protocols and the human element that implements them.
The chaos began on Monday, 29 July, when passengers arriving from a regional flight from Kingscote inadvertently bypassed the mandatory security screening before entering the main terminal area.
This breach, identified shortly before 11 AM, set off a chain of events that led to major disruptions and flight delays, with approximately 15 flights and 1,500 passengers affected, some facing delays of up to two hours.
A human error led to the evacuation of Adelaide Airport's main terminal. Credit: Shutterstock
Adelaide Airport spokesperson Dermot O'Neill explained the protocol for regional arrivals, stating, 'Passengers that arrive into Adelaide from regional airports that are unscreened…are required to be screened before they enter the main area of Adelaide Airport.'
He emphasised the airport's commitment to security, saying, 'We take the security outcomes of Adelaide Airport very seriously.'
The response to the breach was immediate, with operations ceasing and the terminal swiftly evacuated.
O’Neill said operations returned to normal, and hundreds of passengers, packed into the departure floor, were encouraged to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
One passenger shared the mishap on social media, saying they were 20 minutes from departure but then braced for a wait of several hours.
‘Everyone has to leave for re-screening! Even those on planes about to depart,’ the person wrote.
Another passenger, Roy Abraham, recounted the sudden halt to boarding procedures, saying, 'I was probably going to board in about a minute's time and then this happened, so there were probably people already on the plane who had to get off to,’ he said.
‘All the pilots had to get off the planes as well, so there were probably thousands of people behind me.’
‘We weren't really sure what was going on, there was a lot of chatter, as you can imagine.’
Despite the disruption, Adelaide local Caroline Jessen, who was about to board a flight to Sydney when the announcement was made, described the evacuation as orderly and safe.
‘We had an announcement just saying we had to evacuate the terminal and we heard that a couple of times, and then we all just started moving out,’ she said.
‘It was very orderly, very safe and good.’
Interestingly, this wasn't the first time Adelaide Airport had experienced such a breach.
A similar incident occurred in 2021, and for passengers like Roy Abraham, who had been through it before, quick thinking helped secure a prime spot in the re-screening queue.
‘When the call first came through, they said there's been a security breach, please evacuate the airport immediately,’ he said.
‘Because it's happened to me once before, I made a quick beeline out of security as quick as I could so I could be at the front of the queue again but it took them a while to get everyone out of the airport.’
‘It could be a couple of hours, it's lucky I don't have a connecting flight.’
Communication from the airport was praised by some, like Mount Barker local Lindsay Campbell, who arrived amid the unfolding situation.
‘It was a bit of a shock when I walked in to see what was going on, but I've been on the tail end of it,’ he said.
‘It's just one of those things, you grin and bear it.’
Have you ever been caught up in a security breach or evacuation at an airport? How was the situation handled, and what lessons can be learned from such events? Share your stories and insights in the comments below!
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