A traveller from Sydney has been arrested, after telling security staff at Hamilton International Airport his bag contained a bomb.

The man's bags were collected by Av-Sec Staff after they were found unattended following a trans-Tasman flight early this morning. When staff cautioned the man, he told them one of his bags contained a bomb and asked could they "not hear it ticking?"

Despite admitting he was joking, police were called in and the man was charged with breaching Aviation Act offences. A search of his bags was conducted and no bomb was found, however a Swiss Army knife was recovered.