Long queues at Auckland Airport are starting to clear after a security breach caused major delays this morning.
The New Zealand Herald is reporting a witness as saying the breach was caused by a passenger being allowed to bypass security to board a departing flight.
The Herald said hundreds of passengers waiting to board planes were forced to return through security after the breach.
RNZ said there were long queues winding through the domestic terminal.
In a public announcement at the terminal, waiting passengers had been told to exit and scan their bags a second time due to a security breach.
Queues were starting to move more quickly by about 9am after the security breach was resolved.
NZME’s Michael Morrah earlier told the Herald that: “An aviation security officer came out and simply said everyone has to evacuate, there’s been a security breach.
“We’ve been given no other information apart from that, and every passenger who had already passed security checks has been asked to come back and line up.”
Passengers on flights arriving at the airport had also been delayed.
Regan Savage was on a 6.30am flight from Wellington, and when it landed passengers had to wait on the plane for 30 to 40 minutes.
Crew told them there had been a security breach or alert and that the area had to be "sterilised", though they gave no details.
When he got into the terminal there were huge queues of people waiting to go through security, he told Morning Report.
Auckland Airport's website showed more than a dozen domestic departures were delayed.
In a statement an Auckland Airport spokesperson said the breach had been resolved and Aviation Security was requiring all passengers to be rescreened.
"There have been some delays to flights, and we ask that anyone travelling domestically this morning to please stay across travel updates from their airline."
Air New Zealand has also been contacted for comment.
- Allied Media
