Thousands evacuated in airport bomb alert - Edinburgh Airport News

Airport news for Edinburgh on 09/07/2009.

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In addition, a number of passengers were required to deplane, and all check-in and security procedures were brought to a standstill at the airport. People were forced to wait outside the passenger terminal, along the airport approach roads, while the situation was being investigated.

Many other travellers were detained in the Arrivals hall during the two-and-one-half hours of the evacuation.

The incident occurred on the first day of Edinburgh’s school holidays, meaning that passenger numbers at the airport were significantly higher than normal. Police had been alerted of a suspicious piece of luggage that was left unaccompanied in a toilet in the domestic Arrivals area at around 2:20pm.

A spokesman for the police said that an army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) squad investigated and found that the bag was not in fact a bomb.

During the squad’s investigation, many passengers, including those who had already checked in for their flights, were forced to wait outside the terminal in the heat until an all-clear signal was given – at which time everyone had to go through check-in process again.

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