ON MONDAY, December 20, 2021, the Denver International Airport sent out an alert regarding a “security incident.”
The airport’s statement noted that all employees and passengers are safe at the time.
At 2.56pm ET, the Twitter account for the Denver International Airport sent out an alert regarding a security incident.
“Trains have temporarily stopped due to a security incident at DEN. All passengers and employees are safe. Updates are coming soon,” they wrote.
Following the announcement, multiple users reached out to the airport via Twitter.
“What is going on? We are on standing on a crazy long line that isn’t moving at security. No one has been told anything we are all just sitting here for over a half hour now,” one user wrote.
Another user added: “Yet you continue to let people stream down to the train platforms? This is the worst managed ‘security incident’ I’ve ever seen.”
According to the Denver International Airport Twitter account, an individual descended the escalators in the arrivals area, bypassing security.
The individual then boarded a train, but was soon after apprehended by the Denver police.
At 3.05pm, Fox 13 reporter Brian Flores shared a tweet regarding the incident as over.
“All clear announced. Trains moving once again. Whew!” he wrote via Twitter.
Prior to the all clear announcement, Flores shared a video of passengers seemingly stuck in place at the airport.
“Happening now: some sort of security issue is happening at
@DENAirport,” he wrote alongside the video.
“All trains to baggage claim and gates have stopped. Also hearing passengers not allowed to deplane or board.”
While airport traveler traffic has nearly returned to pre-pandemic rates, security lines are reportedly moving faster than normal.
Between Monday, December 20, 2021, and January 3, 2022, around 2.7million passengers are expected to pass through the Denver International Airport, according to the Denver Post.
The volume of travellers lands at around five percent less than the holiday period of 2019.
Around Thanksgiving, security lines took around 20 minutes to get through, with the help of precheck areas and extra screening lanes.
On peak holiday travelling days, such as Thursday, December 23, Monday, December 27, and Wednesday, December 29, airport officials expect more than 200,000 total travelers each day and between 60,000 and 70,000 people going through TSA checkpoints, airport officials have stated.
