Over the weekend, 36 flights were canceled, and 201 more were delayed at Hokkaido’s New Chitose Airport after a pair of scissors went missing from a store near the boarding gates. The incident led to a temporary suspension of security checks at the airport’s domestic terminal for about two hours on Saturday morning, causing significant disruption and stranding hundreds of travelers.
Passengers in the departure lounge were forced to retake security checks, resulting in long queues and delays. Although flights eventually resumed on Saturday, the missing scissors were not located until the following day, when they were found at the same store.
Hokkaido Airport, the operator of New Chitose Airport, confirmed on Monday that the scissors had been discovered by a store worker. The authorities delayed making the announcement until they were sure the recovered scissors were indeed the missing pair.
The incident occurred during Japan’s annual Bon holiday, affecting many travelers returning home. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism has requested Hokkaido Airports to investigate the incident and implement measures to prevent future occurrences.
Despite the inconvenience, social media users praised the airport’s response, highlighting the thoroughness and safety of Japanese aviation protocols.