Flights in Japan cancelled because scissors have disappeared

Over the weekend, 36 flights were cancelled and 201 delayed at a Japanese airport after a pair of scissors went missing from a shop near the gate.

Security checks at the domestic terminal at New Chitose Airport on Hokkaido were suspended for about two hours on Saturday morning, temporarily stranding hundreds of travelers.

There were huge bottlenecks and queues as passengers had to go through security checks again in the departure hall.

Authorities attempted to locate the missing scissors, which were found the next day in the same store.

Although the scissors were not found on Saturday, the day they disappeared, security checks and flights eventually resumed that day.

Hokkaido Airport, which operates New Chitose Airport, said on Monday that the scissors were found by a store employee on Sunday.

Authorities said they had waited to make the announcement until they had confirmed that the scissors were the same as the lost ones.

Many of the travelers affected by the cancellations and delays were flying home after Japan’s annual Bon holiday.

“I don’t think we have any choice (but to wait),” one traveler told local media at the time. “But I hope they’ll be a little more cautious about doing so.”

Another traveler said, “There are so many things to worry about these days… it never ends. And I don’t feel safe until I’m back home.”

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has asked Hokkaido airports to investigate the cause and prevent a recurrence.

“We are aware that this is due to inadequate storage and management systems in the store,” Hokkaido Airport said. “We are aware that this is also an incident that could be linked to an aircraft hijacking or terrorism and will again work to create comprehensive awareness for management.”

X’s social media users praised the airport’s response to the incident, with several saying it reinforced their confidence in Japan’s aviation safety.

“This incident has demonstrated the safety of Japanese aviation and the thoroughness of their manuals!” wrote one user.

Another said it “made him realize once again that New Chitose Airport is a safe airport.”

New Chitose is one of Japan’s busiest airports and serves the world’s second-busiest domestic flight route – between Tokyo and Sapporo – according to aviation analytics firm OAG.

More than 15 million travelers used the airport in 2022.

Additional reporting by Chika Nakayama in Tokyo