A pair of scissors went missing at Japan's New Chitose airport last Saturday, and I kid you not this led to a full 36 flights being canceled.
I can see you don't believe me.
(Those are not the actual scissors, though I'd like a pair.)
But it is true, at this airport vendors are required to keep scissors in lockers — lest they be stolen by a terrorist or the like — and only bring them out when they need to use them. However, one retailer lost track of their scissors last Saturday and all heck broke loose!
A lengthy search ensued, during which security checks for incoming passengers were paused for at least two hours.
Chaos ensued as queues expanded, passengers were denied entry, and airport authorities scrambled to determine whether the scissors had been swiped by somebody with malicious intent.
The incident saw over 200 flights delayed, and 36 cancelled altogether.
Here's video of travelers learning they would need to be re-screened through security.
Can you guess where they found the scissors after this lengthy search and the cancelation of 36 flights?
Yes, the pair of scissors was found right there in the same retail outlet where it went missing!
All those people who missed their flights and experienced the scissor chaos did so because some dope misplaced a pair of scissors!
And it wasn't just some random day at the airport either:
The incident could scarcely have come at a worse time, as last weekend coincided with the Obon festival - during which it is traditional to honor one's ancestors, often by travelling home to be with family.
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