Following a security breach in Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD), federal police had to accompany over 200 passengers on a Qantas flight during peak hours from SYD to Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (MEL).
On September 7, 2022, at 20:01 local time, flight QF487 from Sydney to Melbourne touched down.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the pilot quickly notified the 225 passengers and crew that they would need to go through airport security because someone had boarded without going through airport security at SYD.
The passengers were escorted by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Victoria Police after they were informed by airport staff that they could not use the restroom and that their bags needed to be checked again.
Qantas flight QF487 Syd – Melb just landed deemed unscreened flight. All 200+ passengers will be escorted by AFP, Vic Police, security – no toilet stops – to security screening. Flight attendant never heard it happening over 20 years flying @Qantas @StephenLongAus @4corners pic.twitter.com/Q73hfvIu2o
— Patrick Durkin (@patrickdurkin) September 7, 2022
Patrick Durkin, the deputy editor and head of the Financial Review’s Melbourne bureau, was on board and uploaded a picture of the passengers in the cabin, after arriving in MEL.
What led to the security breach at Sydney Airport?
Up to 60 passengers on the flight, according to an unidentified passenger who spoke to Melbourne radio station 3AW, had not gone through the proper screening procedure at Sydney Airport before boarding the flight to Melbourne.
The traveler arrived at Orange Regional Airport (OAG), which lacks security screenings, to catch a trip to Sydney.
The traveler claimed that after landing in Sydney (SYD), he and other travelers with connecting flights from other regional areas were given access to the airport lounge for their subsequent flights.
“I reckon there were between 40 and 60 passengers who were all unscreened,” the passenger told 3AW.
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