Portland International Airport closed after security breach

Airline Industry Information, Oct 29, 2004

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

A minor security breach at Portland International Airport saw three concourses evacuated and aircraft grounded for an hour on the morning of 28 October 2004.

The security alert was triggered when three men passed through a checkpoint with a bag that needed extra screening but instead of stopping kept on walking. A spokesperson for the airport said that aircraft were grounded for around an hour but flights were resumed by 0720 local time.

A Transportation Security Administration official managed to detain the men, who were questioned, and the bag was searched. Nothing out of the ordinary was found in the bag.

All evacuated travellers were rechecked and then allowed to reboard their aircraft, according to an airport spokesperson. The main airlines affected by the alert were Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Horizon Air, reports The Associated Press.

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