A missing piece of cutlery is being blamed for a security scare that delayed flights at Queenstown Airport

International passengers had to be re-screened through security yesterday, because of what the airport says was a low-level threat.

The Otago Daily Times says a utensil -- believed to be a six-centimetre long paring knife -- went missing from a kitchen in the international lounge.

Three flights were re-boarded as a result of the scare.