Suspicious item temporarily prompts evacuations, snarls traffic at LAX

Travelers heading to Los Angeles International Airport experienced heavy delays Friday night when a terminal was evacuated after someone reported a suspicious item.

The item was reported around 9:30 p.m. and located near an official Transportation Security Administration checkpoint, prompting airport police to clear Terminal 1.

Vehicle traffic was temporarily diverted on both the arrival and departure levels, according to Victoria Spilabotte, a public information officer for the airport.

“We’re asking passengers who have a flight schedule to check with their airline for status information,” Spilabotte said.

Travelers expressed their frustration on Twitter, sharing photos and videos of the traffic jam and asking for more information.

After about a two-hour investigation, police gave the all-clear and airport operations returned to normal, according to Spilabotte. Officials did not provide any additional information on the item that prompted the police response.