A pair of missing scissors caused widespread disruption at Japan’s New Chitose Airport (CTS) in Hokkaido on August 17, 2024.
A total of 36 flights were canceled and 201 delayed as security checks were suspended for almost two hours after a pair of scissors were reported missing from a store in the airport’s departure lounge.
Passengers who had cleared security checks were instructed to re-queue and go through procedures once again.
The incident occurred during Japan’s Obon festival, a week-long holiday where many Japanese traditionally will leave their cities around August 10 and return on August 17-18.
On the day of the incident, All Nippon Airways (ANA) advised its customers via a post on X that delays and cancellations would be expected due to security checks at the airport.
Hokkaido Airports told the BBC that the incident was a result of “insufficient storage and management systems” at the store.
““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,” the airport said.
On August 19, 2024, two days after the incident, Hokkaido Airports announced that the scissors had been found in the same store they went missing from.