Toy gun closes Charlotte airport for nearly two hours

Airplanes wait on a runway at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport during Tuesday's evacuation

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (CNN) -- As the nation geared up for one of the busiest travel days in its history, a toy gun brought air traffic to a standstill for nearly two hours Tuesday morning at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport.

FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said a screener at Checkpoint C reported around 8 a.m. seeing something resembling a weapon in a passenger's bag but before she could intervene, the traveler "grabbed the bag and ran into the concourse."

The airport was evacuated and passengers were checked until approximately 10 a.m., when the passenger was located and a baggage check determined the suspicious object was a toy gun, Bergen said.

"It's not illegal to carry a toy gun," she said, but added that officials encourage air travelers not to carry them to avoid such problems.

Some passengers sat on planes that were backed up on the runway for two hours. Charlotte is a hub for U.S. Airways. Airline spokesman Rick Weintraub said as a precaution, officials rechecked passengers who were either in the terminal or on aircraft getting ready to depart.

The backup was expected to affect flights throughout the day, said Julie Hill, a spokeswoman for the city of Charlotte.

She encouraged passengers planning to use the airport to check with their airline before traveling to the airport. About 520 planes fly in and out of the airport every day, she said.

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