One traveller, who shared a photo of the security screening area to Instagram Stories, claimed the line of passengers stretched all the way through the airport as people were re-screened.
Screening recommenced with four lanes open and Avsec confirmed there was no longer a safety or security risk.
It is unclear what happened to the passenger after they were removed but Avsec said “further investigation into this incident will occur”.
There have been reports of large queues at the domestic departures.
An Auckland Airport spokesperson confirmed the security breach had caused significant queues and delays, and thanked travellers for cooperating.
“We thank travellers for their patience and they should please check with their airline about any impact to their flight,” they said.
The cause of the security breach is currently unclear. Passengers due to fly were advised to check with their airline for details if they have been impacted by the disruption.
On November 12, travellers were also hit with queues and disruption due to an influx of Coldplay and Pearl Jam concertgoers arriving in and departing Auckland’s Domestic terminal as well as an out-of-action security scanner.
Some travellers said it took an hour to get through security, while others described the queue as “absolute chaos” to Stuff.
