PASSENGERS have revealed how they were interrogated following a security alert at Glasgow Airport.
The airport suspended operations temporarily after a security incident was declared on an inbound easyJet flight from Gatwick yesterday morning.
The runway was closed after the aircraft EZY 883 landed at 10.25am before reopening after 22 minutes, just before 11am.
It was an additional two hours before the passengers of the flight were allowed to leave the airport.
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One source said a package with something written on it was found in a toilet.
One of the passengers, Clive Harris, said: “We were waiting on the tarmac for about an hour. Then we had to wait for enough police to come and do the interviews.”
Passengers were initially unaware of the security alert until police and the fire service were on the scene.
They were informed that there was a broken-down plane on the runway before being told there was security threat in the airport.
According to passenger Steve Williams it was only apparent the problem was in their aircraft once “they surrounded the plane with police cars”.
Police Scotland said it was made aware of the security incident by the flight crew.
They boarded the plane before escorting the people to a lounge area, where each passenger was individually interviewed.
Chloe Booth, who was also on the flight, said: “They held us there for the last almost three hours basically, not telling us that much.
“From the questions they were asking I think it sounds like there was a suspicious package found in the toilet.”
“I still have no idea what the incident was – they wouldn’t tell us anything,” added Zachary Martin who is visiting the Scotland for the first time.
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A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: "All the passengers and crew members have disembarked from a plane which is currently being searched by police following a security alert reported by the crew of a flight at Glasgow Airport.
"Officers and the other emergency services are in attendance."
Flights have since returned to being operational but police remain at the scene.
An easyJet spokeswoman said: "EasyJet can confirm that passengers on flight EZY883 from London Gatwick to Glasgow were delayed disembarking on arrival in Glasgow, purely as a precaution, due to additional security checks.
"The passengers have been disembarked and taken into the terminal.
"The safety and security of its passengers and crew is always easyJet's highest priority and we would like to thank passengers for their understanding."
Pictures emerged on social media of passengers being "dumped" in a room, with complaints they were not being given any information.
James Gale had been on the flight and said they had not been made aware of any incident until after landing.
He described the atmosphere as being "calm" on board the aircraft.
The 21-year-old from Brighton said: "The captain just said we were waiting for a stand and I found out (about the security alert) from Twitter.
"We stopped and there was an announcement to say there's an incident on our plane."
"They're handing out water but we've been on the ground since 10.12am and still doesn't seem to be moving anywhere."
A Glasgow Airport spokesman said: "At 10.25am, emergency services attended an arriving easyJet flight from Gatwick following reports of a security alert on board.
"Operations were temporarily suspended until the incident was stood down and normal operations resumed after 22 minutes."
This was originally reported in our sister title The Evening Times.
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