Panic at Liverpool airport as thousands of passengers are evacuated after 'a technical problem with scanning machines' in the departure lounge

Liverpool John Lennon airport evacuated all passengers from its departure lounge because of a problem with one of its scanning machines. 

The fault meant those people had to be re-screened before being allowed to return airside.

Passengers were also reportedly taken off planes on the runway after the security alert around midday.

 

In a statement the airport said: 'Due to a technical problem with one of the Airport's passenger scanning machines, all passengers were removed from the Departure Lounge and re-screened.' 

Robin Tudor, head of PR for the airport, added: 'We are working with the airlines. Obviously there will be delays to flights but we are working as hard as we can to catch back up again and minimise disruption.' 

One passenger at the airport, John Dawber, who lives in Chester, said: 'Chaos here at John Lennon Airport'.  

Passengers inside the departure lounge at the airport were evacuated and then had to be rescreened 

Another, Steph Hodson, told the Liverpool Echo: 'I was meant to be travelling to Paris with my boyfriend for his birthday. We'd just sat down in the lounge and there was an announcement.

'The staff all seemed quite flustered and we could see everyone outside. There's hundreds of people.

'We're going to have to go back through security and everything. It was quite scary and everyone was really quiet and looked worried.

'I've spoken to a police officer and they said it's an issue to do with the security scanners, and we were moved for our own safety.'

Anyone travelling from Liverpool airport today has been advised to contact their airline and expect delays if their flights are due in the next few hours. 

Passengers are also urged to allow extra time to go through security given the large amounts of people passing through.