The weekend security scare that led to the shutdown of a John F. Kennedy International Airport terminal was caused by a passenger who took a cigarette break, authorities said.
The man went through security at Terminal 8 on Saturday afternoon, then went outside to smoke, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said. The passenger then returned through a gate that wasn't open, Port Authority spokesman Joe Pentangelo said.
Screening was halted for about 90 minutes as authorities investigated the breach, which caused up to an hour of delays on all American Airlines flights at the terminal.
The man was interviewed but not arrested.
Kennedy is one of the most heavily trafficked airports in the U.S., handling tens of millions of passengers each year.
