Edinburgh Airport was evacuated on Friday evening after a potentially suspicious package was reported, causing widespread disruption for thousands of passengers. The incident, reported around 6.50pm, led to the airport being cordoned off and flights diverted to other airports, including Glasgow.
Bomb disposal crews from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit attended the scene, and roads around the airport were closed. Passengers on planes that had already landed were unable to disembark, with some reportedly stranded on the tarmac for hours.
Passenger Alan Jenkins posted on X that the pilot told them they were “all in the dark” about when they could get off the plane, adding that ground staff had been instructed to return to offices. He joked that some passengers had questions about making it to the Scotland World Cup game against Morocco.
Police Scotland said the evacuation was a precautionary measure and advised passengers to check with their airlines for updates. Edinburgh Airport confirmed the evacuation and said specialist teams were investigating the item.
Transport services were also affected, with Edinburgh trams running only between Gyle Centre and St Andrew Square, and Scottish Citylink buses terminating at the Moxi hotel bus stop.
