Avalon Airport Bomb Scare Forces Evacuation as Passenger Arrested in Melbourne

Melbourne’s Avalon Airport faced a major security shutdown on Thursday morning after a suspicious item was detected during passenger screening, forcing the domestic terminal to be evacuated and leaving travellers waiting outside while police carried out safety checks.

The incident began just before 6am, when emergency services were called to the airport following concerns raised during the screening process. Victoria Police confirmed the building was evacuated and the area was cordoned off as a precaution while officers investigated the item.

A person was detained at the scene after police attended the terminal. Avalon Airport said the matter had been handed to Victoria Police, with passengers warned to expect delays because of safety precautions.

“The domestic terminal at Melbourne Avalon Airport was evacuated this morning following the identification of a suspicious item during the screening process,” an airport spokesperson said. “Victoria Police attended and an individual has been detained.”

The police response included support from Victoria Police’s Bomb Response Unit. Remote bomb response robots were seen entering the terminal as specialist officers worked through the building. Authorities have not yet confirmed what the suspicious item was or whether it posed an active threat.

The evacuation caused immediate disruption for morning passengers. Travellers arriving at Avalon after the alert were directed away from the terminal and told to wait in the car park and nearby outdoor areas while the police operation continued.

One traveller, Lisa, told ABC Radio Melbourne she arrived around 7am to find the entrance already blocked.

“No-one sort of knew what was going on,” she said, adding that the number of police vehicles heading into the airport made it clear the situation was serious. “It’s still a bit of mayhem here.”

Flight operations were also hit. A Brisbane-bound service scheduled to depart Avalon at 8:50am was delayed, while a Sydney flight due to leave at 10:30am was cancelled. An afternoon Sydney-to-Avalon arrival scheduled for 2:10pm was also cancelled, and other inbound services faced delays.

Passenger Harry Brook said he had been due to fly to Brisbane for a funeral when the airport shutdown interrupted his travel plans.

“It’s frustrating, but it happens,” he said. “I’m not too stressed about delays as long as we get there.”

Another passenger, Lina Yao, said Jetstar later notified her that her Brisbane flight had been rescheduled. She said the delay had disrupted carefully arranged plans, but added that she understood the security response.

The incident underlines how quickly airport operations can be disrupted when a possible security risk is found inside a screening area. In aviation settings, authorities generally treat suspicious items with maximum caution until specialist officers can safely assess them.

According to ABC News, passengers were forced to remain outside the terminal as police continued their checks, while bomb response robots were deployed during the operation.

The Age reported that Avalon Airport was placed into lockdown after the early-morning scare, with travellers facing cancellations and delays during the investigation.

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Police have not yet released further details about the detained person or the suspicious item. The airport said it would provide more updates on delays as information became available.

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