Up To 36 Flights Cancelled And 201 Delayed In Japan After Scissors Go Missing

A missing pair of scissors caused chaos at Hokkaido’s New Chitose Airport. It led to 36 flight cancellations and delays for 201 flights over the weekend.

A small mistake turned into a big problem at New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido over the weekend. On August 17-18, 2024, missing scissors caused chaos, leading to 36 flight cancellations and delays for 201 others.

On Saturday morning, travelers at the busy domestic terminal faced unexpected delays. The missing scissors, lost near the boarding gates, led to a halt in security checks. Passengers had to go through security again, creating long lines and frustration.

After a tense search, a store worker finally found the scissors on Sunday. The airport waited until Monday, August 19, to confirm they had found the right pair. Although flights resumed on Saturday, the confusion caused significant delays for many passengers.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism is now calling for a thorough investigation into the issue. They want to prevent similar problems in the future. Hokkaido Airport admitted that poor storage and management contributed to the disruption.

New Chitose Airport, one of Japan’s busiest, handles the popular Tokyo-Sapporo route. In 2022 alone, it served over 15 million travelers. The disruption came at a busy time, with many passengers returning from Japan’s Bon holiday.

This incident shows the need for better airport security and management. Both travelers and airport officials hope for smoother operations and improved security to avoid future problems.