A Royal Navy bomb disposal robot was deployed to assess the threat

Glasgow Airport was shut down for several hours on Monday morning after a suspicious item triggered a bomb alert.

Passengers were evacuated and had their flights grounded at the last minute after the item was found in the security search hall shortly before 6am.

Police then sealed off the security and check-in areas before a Royal Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal squad was dispatched to the scene.

A bomb disposal robot was seen entering the airport while passengers were moved into a car park.

Staff handed out emergency blankets to protect against the cold as well as bottles of water.

After more than four hours the item was confirmed as being ‘innocent’ in nature and passengers began to be herded back into the departures terminal.

But at least 27 flights in and out of the airport were cancelled, according to the airport’s live departures board, while some arrivals were diverted.

They included departures which were due to take off after the incident was stood down, such as a 2.45pm Ryanair flight to Dublin.

Several of the cancelled arrivals had been due to land at similar times as other flights which were allowed to land.

SNP MP Patricia Gibson said she was caught up in the incident on her ‘morning commute’ to Westminster, tweeting a picture of herself wrapped up in an emergency blanket.

She told Westsound News: ‘The airport staff have been looking after people as best they can, but it’s a very cold day, and people have been out here for hours.’

A spokesman for Glasgow Airport said: ‘Police Scotland have confirmed this morning’s incident has been stood down and our staff are now in the process of welcoming passengers back into the terminal and providing any assistance where required.

Passengers faced long queues to get back into the airport after it was reopened

‘We would like to take this opportunity to thank our passengers for their continued patience.’

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: ‘Around 5.55 am on Monday, 5 December 2022, police were called to a report of a suspicious item within the security search hall of Glasgow Airport.

‘As a precaution and in accordance with procedures, the check-in and security hall areas were closed to the public.

‘Following examination of the item by the Royal Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal team (EOD) it was confirmed that it posed no risk to the public and was innocent in nature.

‘All areas of the airport are in the process of being re-opened.’

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A suspicious item in the security hall triggered an evacuation which saw passengers kept outside for hours while the threat was assessed.