DeltaFlot

December 11, 2001 Posted: 12:29 PM EST (1729 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Officials at Dulles International Airport in suburban Washington cleared hundreds of passengers and employees from its main terminal Monday evening after a screening device briefly stopped operating.

Airport spokesman Tom Sullivan said the metal detector in the airport's main terminal malfunctioned "for less than a minute." But to make sure no weapons had passed through during that span, officials cleared the secure part of the terminal and four mobile lounges that transport passengers to a nearby terminal.

Another airport employee said the machine was "unplugged," but declined further comment. United Airlines -- the dominant airline at Dulles -- provides security through a contractor.

After the empty terminal was checked with explosive detecting dogs, passengers were re-screened.

The terminal was reopened around 6:30 p.m. ET, Sullivan said. About four flights were delayed because of the incident, he said.

In New York, Delta Airlines Monday night evacuated two terminals and four planes at JFK International Airport after a passenger found a four-to-five inch knife beyond security checkpoints at the airport.

Delta said security removed passengers from four international flights and evacuated two terminals following the discovery.

Dee Baker, Delta spokeswoman, said all passengers were required to go through security again after a thorough sweep of both the terminals and the planes. A total of nine planes; four international and five domestic were affected

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