East Midlands Airport evacuated its main terminal on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, after security screening equipment flagged a suspicious item inside a piece of checked-in luggage.
The incident forced passengers onto the tarmac and caused delays for several departing and arriving flights.
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Evacuation and Passenger Experience
Airport officials initiated the evacuation at approximately 09:30 BST at the facility located in Castle Donington, Leicestershire.
Travelers were left waiting outside on the runway without shade or water during a severe heatwave, with regional temperatures reportedly approaching 35 degrees Celsius.
The security alert affected multiple flight schedules.
Flightradar data indicated a Ryanair flight circled the airport for more than 20 minutes, while departing flights to Faro, Knock, Murcia, and a Jet2 flight to Chania experienced delays during the terminal closure.
Airport and Airline Response
"As a precautionary measure, we evacuated our terminal this morning after our security screening equipment highlighted a concern with a checked-in item of luggage," said a spokesperson for East Midlands Airport.
"Investigations have now concluded that there is no risk and we are resuming normal operations, with passengers re-entering the terminal."
The representative apologized for the disruption caused to travelers, emphasizing that safety remains the primary focus of the airport administration.
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"The safety of our customers and staff is our number one priority," added the spokesperson.
Airline operators at the terminal also responded to passenger inquiries on social media as the situation unfolded outside the building.
"Any idea why we’ve been evacuated onto the runway?
One of the hottest days of the year and no shade or water and no updates from any staff," asked an unidentified passenger on X.
The airline quickly acknowledged the ongoing disruption and noted that they were monitoring the terminal security incident.
"We are aware that East Midlands Airport have been evacuated, we are working on the situation and will update you soon," said a spokesperson for Jet2.
"We apologise for any inconvenience caused by this and hopefully have you back inside as soon as possible."
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Normal flight operations and terminal access resumed just after 11:00 BST once security teams cleared the luggage item.
