Security staff in the airport's Qantas domestic terminal discovered a number of passengers had made it to their gate just before 6.30pm (AEST) without proper security screening.

This prompted the evacuation of several thousand people, and flight delays, as those waiting for Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Blue flights had to leave their gates to be rescreened.

"A number of passengers went through the Qantas screening point without being screened,'' Brisbane Airport spokeswoman Rebecca McConochie said tonight.

"There was too many of them for it to stay isolated to the Qantas domestic terminal, so we had to evacuate the entire terminal.''

Ms McConochie said it took about two hours to rescreen the passengers - including those who had been waiting in planes on the tarmac - and about 20 flights were immediately affected.

"That (delay) will certainly have a knock-on effect throughout the night,'' she said.

It was the second security breach originating in the Qantas domestic terminal in a week after a similar lapse in passenger screening last Monday.

Then it was confined to the Qantas terminal.

"BAC (Brisbane Airport Corporation) is certainly working with Qantas to make sure these issues are addressed,'' Ms McConochie also said.

Anyone on flights out of Brisbane airport tonight is urged to contact their airline to confirm their amended take-off time.


The Australian