What happens if a pair of scissors goes missing at a Japan airport? 36 flights cancelled, 201 delayed

A pair of missing scissors has recently caused major traffic chaos and flight cancellations at Japan's New Chitose Airport. The mystery behind the scissors could not be solved on the day the item was lost, but it resulted in the cancellation of as many as 36 flights at the airport in the Hokkaido prefecture, reported BBC.

The search operation for the item, lost from a store near the airport's boarding gates, did not yield results on the same day. Security measures were beefed up, subsequently causing 201 flight delays. Meanwhile, hundreds of travellers were temporarily stranded after security checks at Hokkaido’s New Chitose Airport domestic terminal were called off for almost two hours on Saturday morning.

Adding to the woes of passengers who were flying home after Japan’s annual Bon holiday, there were long queues in the departure lounge. Many passengers had to retake security checks amid the chaos, as per reports. The pair of scissors that turned the world upside down was ultimately found at the same store the following day, according to the BBC report.

Flights eventually resumed after the failed search operation to locate the missing scissors. On Monday, the Hokkaido Airport released a statement declaring that the scissors had been found by a worker at the store on Sunday.

After the incident, Hokkaido Airport issued a statement that said, "We recognise that this occurred as a result of insufficient storage and management systems at the store,” as per the BBC report. It added, “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."

“I don't think we have any choice (but to wait),” local media quoted a stranded passenger as saying. Another traveller remarked, “But I do hope they are a bit more careful about it.” A third passenger said, “So many things to worry about these days… it never ends. And I don't feel safe until I get home.”

Netizens were strong to react to this post as one user said, "This incident showcased the safety of Japanese aviation and the thoroughness of its manuals!" Another user commented that the situation “made me realise once again that New Chitose Airport is a safe airport to use.”