A man has been arrested and charged after flights were temporarily grounded at a Scots airport due to a report of “threatening communication”.
Staff at Kirkwall Airport in Orkney received the alleged malicious message at around 10.50am on Saturday, January 4, causing disruption to flights as Police Scotland investigated.
However, following enquiries cops confirmed that there was “no evidence to suggest the threat was credible”.
On Sunday, Police Scotland said it had charged a 20-year-old man in connection with the incident. He is due to appear at Dundee Sheriff Court on Monday, January 6.
Kirkwall Airport fully reopened on Saturday afternoon with passengers made aware there would be some further delays.
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A spokesperson for Highlands and Islands Airports Limited, which operates Kirkwall Airport, said ay the time: “Flights at Kirkwall Airport are currently disrupted due to an ongoing incident. We would advise passengers to contact their airline for flight updates.”
An update later said: “Flights are now operating as normal from Kirkwall Airport, however there may some ongoing delays. We would advise passengers to contact their airline to check the status of their flight.”
A Police Scotland statement read: “A 20-year-old man has been arrested and charged following a report of a threatening communication made to Kirkwall Airport around 10.50am on Saturday, 4 January. There was no threat to the wider public.
“He is due to appear at Dundee Sheriff Court on Monday, 6 January, 2025.”
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