A former Dunedin Airport employee is on trial after a bomb hoax shut down the airport in March last year.
Preetam Maid, 32, at Dunedin District Court on 2 November 2020. Photo: RNZ / Tim Brown
Preetam Maid is facing one charge of taking an imitation explosive device into a security enhanced area on 17 March last year.
The bomb hoax came at a time of heightened fears following the Christchurch terror attack.
The discovery of a suspicious package on the airfield prompted the airport to close for hours on 17 March, and caused significant disruption as domestic and international flights were turned back and sections of highway closed.
The Defence Force explosive ordinance team dealt with the imitation explosive device.
It was accompanied by a handwritten note which said: "Alpha Birds Crash Dunedin Emergency Fools".
Maid is on trial in the Dunedin District Court.
The 32-year-old denies the charge.
The trial is set down for two weeks.