About a year ago, on an LAX-ORD redeye, all of us were fully boarded when a pilot, FA and GA left the cabin to meet on the jet bridge. Five minutes later, the captain comes on the PA to announce that cleaners had located "something that should never be on a plane" and that, for security: (a) the plane would need to be searched and (b) all of us would need to be re-screened.

It being after 11 PM, we were advised that the T7 security checkpoint was closed for the evening and that we would therefore need to march off the plane, out of security, out of T7 and down the LAX sidewalk to T6, where AA had apparently chosen to invest in a 24-hour TSA presence. Then, upon clearing security, we would march down the walkway from T6 to T7, back to the gate and, when given the all-clear, back onto the plane.

It was very strange walking past the passengers lining up to board the 12:30 AM LAX-ORD flight one gate over as our long march commenced.

Total delay: 90 minutes.

It was never explained what, exactly, the item "that should never be on a plane" was. My first thought was "United's tandoori chicken entree."