Airport shut down after suspicious luggage found
Avalon Airport near Melbourne was partially closed for several hours on Thursday morning after security staff flagged a suspicious item during routine screening. The airport sits about 50 km southwest of Melbourne and mainly handles domestic flights.
The alert led to delays and a short shutdown of parts of the terminal. International services were not affected.
Bomb squad called in after screening alert
Security officers detected an unusual package during baggage screening just before 06:00 local time. They immediately alerted Victoria Police, who sent in the bomb response unit as a precaution.
The item appeared suspicious on X ray, especially because it included a laser hair removal device and a hot chocolate container.
Device confirmed safe after investigation
After a full inspection, police confirmed the package was harmless. It contained only a cosmetic laser hair removal device and packaging for hot chocolate.
The passenger who owned the bag was briefly detained but later released without any charges.
Passenger cooperation slowed response
Victoria Police Acting Inspector Nick Uebergang said the incident took longer to resolve because the passenger was not fully cooperative at the start.
He said early cooperation could have reduced delays and helped clear the situation faster.
Airport response and passenger disruption
An airport spokesperson said the response showed strong security screening and quick precautionary action. They added that safety checks were carried out immediately to protect passengers and staff.
Travellers described confusion inside the terminal as the airport went into lockdown. Some passengers were told to wait in the car park with limited facilities while the situation unfolded.
One traveller said there was little information at first, but the presence of multiple police vehicles made it clear something serious was happening.
Budget airline Jetstar operates most services from Avalon Airport. Two domestic flights were cancelled, and several others faced delays before normal operations resumed roughly four hours later.
