About 5,000 passengers were delayed this morning at Cairns Domestic Airport after a security breach.

Passengers from about 5 flights went through security before they realised that some security machinery was not working.

All the people in the departure lounge were then called back to re-enter security procedures. Some flights have been delayed at least an hour, others likely probably more.

One of the delayed passengers was Bob Katter, Federal Member for Kennedy. Katter took the opportunity to move up and down the queue speaking.

He said “I have never seen anything like what happening here in Cairns Airport in all my years of travelling. This is not good enough. I want to see some bums kicked. We are not going to accept it."

After his speech Katter then retreated to the back of the very substantial queue.

Meanwhile the patient people in the queue seemed to accept the situation in good humour.