OAKLAND, Calif. -- Oakland International Airport sparked controversy Tuesday night among parents and public officials after an incident in which troops returning from Iraq were not allowed to enter the airport's terminal during a layover.

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The incident happened Thursday, according to Oakland International spokeswoman Deborah Ale Flint.

More than 200 troops were returning from Iraq to a base in Hawaii on a chartered flight, according to airport officials.

Some of the troops had planned to meet family in the terminal during the two-hour layover Thursday.

However, the airport forced the plane to pull away from the terminal and wait on the tarmac for two hours.

The airport said that decision was made because the Marines had not been screened by the Transportation Safety Administration because they still had their weapons with them on board the plane.

Airport officials told NBC11 that was standard protocol and deflected criticism that the airport does not support the military.

"This airport prides itself on safety, security and customer service," Flint said. "That's for every single person who comes into interaction with this airport. Whether they are a passenger, a meeter and greeter, a loved one, agencies. We strive to accommodate in a safe, secure and customer-oriented fashion every person, especially our esteemed military. That is just not the philosophy of this airport. We deeply regret that this situation happened here,'' Flint said.

The airport said that if the chartered airline had given officials advance notice the situation might have been averted.

Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums also expressed concern Tuesday over the military reception.

“I join the citizens of Oakland to express my concern over the way our soldiers were treated upon their recent arrival at the Oakland Airport," Dellums said. "As a former U.S. Marine, I understand that our troops deserve only the utmost respect for their service to our country. I want to be very clear, the city of Oakland does not condone this type of treatment of our troops. I have directed our Port to look into these matters and work closely with airport personnel to ensure that this type of situation never happens again.”