TAKING A NAP: Authorities were alerted to the drunk Norwegian tourist's presence on the baggage belt after he showed up on X-ray scans.

Travelling can be exhausting, but one passenger took his airport nap too far after falling asleep on a luggage conveyor belt and trundling around with the bags.

Security officials at Rome's Fiumicino airport were shocked to see the outline of a human figure on their X-ray scanners yesterday, The Guardian reports.

They soon after discovered a 36-year-old Norwegian asleep in the collection area, after spending about 15 minutes being transported around the airport's Terminal 3 on the conveyor belt.

The man, who reportedly had been drinking heavily, placed his bag down on an unused luggage belt at check-in before lying down on the belt.

A member of ground staff shortly after activated the conveyor belt, sending the man into the luggage scanning area and through powerful X-ray machinery.

Police claim the man's ride did not expose a flaw in airport security.

"There is a security system - a sort of roll-up blind - which can only be opened by the member of staff who loads the baggage," a police officer said. "[The Norwegian] could have carried on going round the main belt, but he could never have ended up in sensitive areas of the airport."

The man is now facing charges and Italy's National Civil Aviation Authority has asked the airport for a report into the incident.

- theage.com.au