Ask Onix
Avalon Airport shut down after suspicious package found
Melbourne's Avalon Airport was partially closed for several hours on Thursday after security staff discovered a suspicious package during routine screening, authorities confirmed.
Police were alerted just before 06:00 local time (20:00 GMT Wednesday) when the item triggered alarms at the airport, located approximately 50 kilometres southwest of Melbourne's city centre. Domestic flights experienced delays, though international services remained unaffected.
Bomb squad identifies harmless items
After a thorough inspection, the Victoria Police bomb squad determined the package contained a laser hair removal device and a container of hot chocolate, according to a police statement. The items had been flagged during standard security checks.
Owner detained, later released without charge
The package's owner, a Melbourne resident, was briefly detained but released without facing charges. Acting Inspector Nick Uebergang of Victoria Police noted that the man's initial lack of cooperation prolonged the investigation.
"The person who had the bag wasn't too cooperative with us to start off with," Uebergang told reporters. "They probably could have averted things, and we could have got out of here a little bit quicker."
Airport reopens after four-hour lockdown
Avalon Airport resumed normal operations around four hours after the initial alert. An airport spokesperson praised the swift response, stating it "demonstrates the vigilance of the screening and security processes."
"Precautionary measures were taken immediately to ensure the safety of passengers, staff, and the broader community," the spokesperson said.
Passengers describe chaotic scenes
Travellers caught in the disruption shared their experiences with local media. One passenger, who arrived at 07:00, told ABC Radio Melbourne that authorities had just sealed off the airport when they reached the terminal.
"No one sort of knew what was going on. We knew something was fairly significant because there were a lot of police cars and other vehicles going into the airport," the passenger said.
Manjeet Singh, who was due to fly to Brisbane, said he was instructed to wait in the car park with no access to facilities.
"There's no arrangements, no bathroom, no toilet, no beverages, no nothing," Singh told The Age.
Flights disrupted, Jetstar operations affected
Avalon Airport, Victoria's second-busiest air hub, serves as a base for budget airline Jetstar, a Qantas subsidiary. Two domestic flights-a Sydney-bound service and an incoming flight from Sydney-were cancelled, while several others faced delays.
