Melbourne Airport passengers escorted by police after serious Sydney security breach

There are claims up to 60 passengers didn’t go through the correct screening process at Sydney Airport before boarding flights yesterday, sparking traveller chaos.

The issue prompted a major security operation at Melbourne Airport last night, with more than 200 passengers escorted by armed federal police to undergo screening.

Qantas flight QF487 from Sydney to Melbourne landed at 9.01pm, with the hundreds of passengers on board then notified they’d be taken through security by police because an unscreened person has boarded the plane.

That passenger was Bob*.

He says there were up to 60 others who also entered Sydney Airport without being screened.

“They made it very clear to the passengers that if anybody tried to go to the toilet, put anything in a rubbish bin, or dropped anything, then they would be stopped by the federal police. So they were taking it very seriously.”

Press PLAY below to hear how Bob was allowed into Sydney Airport without going through security

Bob* boarded a flight at Orange, where there are no security scans in place. When he arrived at Sydney he, along with the other passengers onboard his Qantas-connect flight, and another flight from an unknown regional location, were allowed directly into the airport lounge for connecting flights.

He reported the security breach to airport staff and was escorted back through security

“I reckon there was between 40 and 60 passengers who were all unscreened,” he told Neil Mitchell.

*not his real name