Some unlikely “terrorists” delayed the departure of a plane from Hobart Airport on Saturday afternoon.

The people concerned were twelve men glued to the telly in the departure lounge, watching the last quarter of the AFL Grand Final between the Eagles and the Swans. As the game played out, passengers were called on board.

Our terrorists tarried, as the score see-sawed on a knife’s edge between the two teams. The men stayed put, waiting until everyone else had gone on board. Staff then told them they had to board immediately or they’d miss the flight.

The game was drawing to a thrilling close and the men decided they couldn’t miss it. Bugger it, they’d miss the plane! But this put the airline in a quandary. Planes can’t fly in these days of heightened security with luggage on board unless the accompanying passenger is also on board. That’s right, you accompany your luggage, not the other way around.

Crikey’s source says the airline realised that it would take longer to get their cases unloaded than it would to delay the plane. So the departure was delayed.