An abandoned suitcase found in Lisbon airport last week led to the evacuation of part of Lisbon airport by police for 20 minutes while police ascertained its contents and checked security.
A spokesman for the ANA airports, Rui Oliveira, told Lusa that these sorts of incidents are becoming increasingly frequent, due mainly to the increase in the number of passengers passing through the airports of Portugal.
Whenever a bag is identified as being abandoned and without an owner, and taking into account the security protocol that has already been in place for several years, the area where the case is found must be evacuated and the police are called to the scene.
ANA is urging all passengers using airports in Portugal to keep their luggage and belongings with them at all times to help to reduce the number of security alerts.