Flights cancelled in Japan after scissors go missing

Thirty-six flights were cancelled and 201 delayed at a Japanese airport on the weekend after a pair of scissors went missing in a store near the boarding gates.

Security checks at Hokkaido’s New Chitose Airport domestic terminal were suspended for about two hours on Saturday morning, leaving hundreds of travellers temporarily stranded.

There were huge bottlenecks and queues as passengers in the departure lounge were forced to retake security checks.

Authorities tried to locate the missing scissors, which were found at the same store the following day.

Although the scissors weren’t located on Saturday, the day they went missing, security checks and flights eventually resumed that day.

Hokkaido Airport, the operator of New Chitose airport, announced on Monday that the scissors had been found by a worker at the store on Sunday.

Authorities explained that they held off on making the announcement until they had confirmed that the scissors were the same as the ones that were lost.

Many travellers 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 traveller told local media at the time. “But I do hope they are bit more careful about it.”

Another traveller said there were “So many things to worry about these days… it never ends. And I don't feel safe until I get home.”

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has asked Hokkaido Airports to investigate the cause and prevent it from happening again.

"We recognise that this occurred as a result of insufficient storage and management systems at the store,” Hokkaido Airport said. “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."

Social media users on X praised the airport's response to the incident, with several saying it reaffirmed their confidence in Japanese air safety.

"This incident showcased the safety of Japanese aviation and the thoroughness of its manuals!" one user wrote.

Another said it "made me realise once again that New Chitose Airport is a safe airport to use."

New Chitose is one of Japan’s busiest airports, serving the world's second-most travelled domestic air route – between Tokyo and Sapporo – according to aviation analytics company OAG.

More than 15 million travellers used the airport in 2022.

Additional reporting by Chika Nakayama in Tokyo