Winnipeg

More than 400 passengers booked on domestic flights were delayed for about an hour at the Winnipeg airport on Saturday afternoon due to a “security breach,” Winnipeg Airports Authority spokesperson Breanne Talbot said.

Because that breach was discovered in the holding area, those passengers were evacuated so that airport security personnel could conduct a sweep.

“As far as a breach goes, it was minor,” said an airport official who declined to give his name and referred all further questions to Talbot.

One passenger told reporters that at least 20 RCMP officers wearing body armour were inside the security area checking people over suspiciously before they were evacuated. However, no one was arrested, Talbot said.

After nothing major was found during the sweep, the evacuated passengers were forced to go through security a second time.

“I thought, ‘We’re in Canada,’ so I wasn’t too worried about it,” said Peter Pearson, who was waiting in line for his flight to Toronto. “I figured there was just a door left open somewhere.

“They’re being careful and they’re being remarkably quick about letting everybody back through ... They told us they would hold flights for us so, not too worried.”

Pat Denman was waiting in line to go to Montreal through Toronto.

“I was very surprised that Winnipeg would have a security breach,” she said. “But there’s nothing you can do about it, you just go with the flow.”

Despite the hour-long wait, there was little complaining.

“I’m very pleased to see that (they were being careful),” Denman said. “That’s probably the most important thing.”

Talbot did say some passengers were worried about missing connecting flights.

“It looked like they were handling it OK, and they told us what was going on,” said Mary Lee Dawson, who was headed to Moncton, N.B.

Those who were evacuated from the holding area waited in line with other passengers, so there may have been as many as 1,000 queueing up together.

“When I got here, they were lined up all the way downstairs (from the second-floor departure area),” Dawson said. “It seemed to be very well-organized and stuff. So, I just went downstairs and got in line.”

The WAA is not allowed to disclose the nature of any breach to the public. It was the first such incident since the new airport opened in October 2011, Talbot said.

“Our main concern is always going to be passenger safety and airport security,” she said.