Faulty machine
forces airport evacuation

The Honolulu Airport was evacuated yesterday, delaying flights and passengers for hours because of a defective security machine.

Transportation Security Administration workers noticed a baggage screening machine was not working properly between 1 and 1:30 p.m., so the airport was evacuated and searched, and passengers were required to go through security check points again, officials said.

The evacuation included both the overseas and interisland terminals, which are connected.

About 85 passengers had gone through the faulty screening machine in the airport's overseas terminal. Some passengers were forced to deplane.

"As a precaution, everybody decided we had to clear the airport and screen the passengers again," state Transportation Department spokesman Scott Ishikawa said.

Passengers were allowed inside the terminals beginning at 3:30 p.m., he said.

The backup immediately delayed 19 flights and some 1,000 passengers and pushed back several later flights, Ishikawa said.