A security breach at the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport Sunday afternoon grounds flights and prompts a massive re-screening effort.
Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority officials say a woman of approximately 55 years of age bypassed security screening at 4:04 p.m. by entering the concourse area through what is supposed to be an exit only. Security workers apparently did not notice this breach. Officials tell 7 News the woman then proceeded to her gate for a Jet Blue flight to New York City, and at the Jet Blue gate counter she told an employee she never went through security screening. The employee then notified airport police who in turn called TSA.
NFTA officials tell 7 News TSA then initiated a clearing of the concourses. All passengers had to exit the concourses and wait to be re-screened after the concourses were checked. TSA started their check with a canine sweep of the west concourse, and then proceeded to the east concourse. NFTA officials say this process lasted about 45 minutes, but some delayed passengers tell 7 News it took closer to 90 minutes before the re-screening of passengers began.
Authorities believe the woman made an honest mistake when she bypassed security, and she volunteered the information that she had not been screened.
Travel is back to normal at the airport now.
