A woman with a propane tank in a box aroused the suspicion of airline ticket counter staff, causing flight delays and the partial shutdown of Terminal 2 at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport for about two hours on Friday morning.

The traveler left the 2-by-2-foot box, which had tubes sticking out the top, on the floor of the ticketing lobby near the Travel Express store after the ticketing staff declined to check the box as baggage.

The woman then went through a security checkpoint and boarded her plane, said airport spokesman Patrick Hogan. She was soon removed from the plane.

Martha P. Morocho, 35, of Minneapolis, was arrested and later released on her own recognizance, airport police said. She was cited for leaving an unattended package, which is a misdemeanor. Morocho could not be reached for comment Friday night.

The Bloomington bomb squad determined the tank "was not an explosive device and not intended for that purpose," and business at the terminal returned to normal about 8 a.m., Hogan said. He said he did not know whether the tank held any propane.

During the disruption, travelers were not allowed into the terminal to check in or to check their baggage, causing the flight delays. Travelers who already had cleared security and were in gate areas were allowed to remain there and board.

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Long lines remained mid-morning on Friday for Southwest Airlines passengers at Terminal 2 at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. A suspicious package prompted an evacuation shortly after 6 a.m., delaying flights.

Airlines using Terminal 2 include Sun Country, Southwest, AirTran, Spirit and Icelandair.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482