Passengers Treated To Drinks During Bomb Scare

A TSA screener set off a full-scale evacuation of the Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) around 1 pm Wednesday after seeing a suspicious object in an X-ray scan during passenger screening.  Air traffic and passenger operations were disrupted for nearly five hours during the investigation.

After the device was found, the Santa Maria Police Department and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department Bomb Squad were called, according to GM Chris Hastert.

The SMX terminal, rental car offices and restaurant were evacuated, although the Radisson hotel attached to the airport remained open.  “They took everybody in and gave them drinks and a place to sit,” Hastert said. “Everybody seemed to be in pretty good spirits.”

The bomb squad arrived at SMX around 3pm and determined there was no threat. The suspicious package turned out to be nothing more than a child's electronic toy. 

A United Express flight from LAX landed during the evacuation and unloaded passengers away from terminal.  An Allegent Air flight from LAS was held in Vegas until the SMX terminal was reopened around 5pm.

FMI: www.SantaMariaAirport.com, www.tsa.gov