Chaos at San Diego Airport as terminal is evacuated with ‘passengers on planes told to return to TSA security’

PASSENGERS at an airport were asked to deplane and return to security on Thursday, resulting in several complaints online.

Confused and frustrated travelers at San Diego International Airport were told to evacuate inside Terminal 2 West and East.

Passengers on airplanes had to leave the aircraft and return through TSA security to be re-screened.

“Entire San Diego airport had to evacuate and go back through security! Not sure why!!” wrote one person on Twitter.

“Complete zoo at San Diego Lindbergh Field as TSA empties the entire airport, including those of us who were already on planes, due to an unexplained ‘security breach.’” wrote another.

A spokesperson at the airport coordination center told The U.S. Sun that there was a roller bag that was reported missing at checkpoint five at 12.54pm.

“They deplaned the passengers to the public side,” said the spokesperson. 

The airport released a statement on Twitter that read: “The FAA issued a full ground-stop for flights departing from Terminal 2 this afternoon after a passenger bypassed the screening process at a TSA checkpoint without having a bag screened.

“TSA directed that all passengers in the post-security areas of T2, including those boarded on planes, to be sent back to the pre-security side of the terminal to be rescreened.”

According to passengers on social media, TSA has resumed screening passengers at the airport but it has not been confirmed as of yet.

Those traveling to the airport should expect delays, said officials.

The TSA believes up to 7000 passengers had to be re-screen because of the security issue.

The man who took his bag before additional screening was done could not be found.