Forgotten bag causes security alert at Duluth airport

Flights were delayed and the Duluth Airport terminal evacuated after an unattended bag was found near a restroom.

Airport officials contacted police and an Air National Guard explosives team at about 11:30 Friday morning.

"Essentially they took an x-ray of the bag, determined it to be non-threatening," said Duluth Airport Operations Manager Brian Grefe. "Fortunately at that time, at the same time they were determining it to be non-threatening, the owner was contacted; was actually able to come back and claim their bag.

Grefe said one incoming flight and two outgoing flights were delayed, although no flights were cancelled.

"Well they definitely inconvenienced people," Grefe said. "I don't know how it affected their connecting flights on other ends. It's unfortunate; you never want this to happen at an airport. But with the level of response that we initiated, I was pretty impressed with all the responding agencies and their timeliness."

Officials reached the bag's owner about the same time the bag was determined to be harmless. The owner had landed in Duluth Friday morning, and forgotten the bag. The luggage and its owner have been reunited.