PORTLAND, Ore. — A person carrying a meat cleaver in their carry-on bag went through a security checkpoint undetected at Portland International Airport and onto a Delta flight headed for Salt Lake City before being discovered, authorities said.
“We take this matter very seriously,” Jessica Mayle, a regional spokesperson for the Transportation Security Administration, said Monday via email.
She added that TSA staffers are reviewing what happened and said they will take “appropriate corrective action.” That could entail more training for screeners, Mayle said.
On Nov. 13, Delta Air Lines reported the discovery of a “hazardous item” on the plane. They subsequently confirmed that the item was a meat cleaver, according to Molly Prescott, a spokesperson for the Port of Portland.
The size of the utensil was unclear.
All passengers were then removed from the aircraft and rescreened for safety reasons, TSA officials said.
No arrests were made, Prescott added. Port of Portland police did respond after being alerted by TSA officials.
According to the federal Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Portland International Airport was the 30th busiest U.S. airport by passenger boardings in 2024.
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