Approximately ten commercial flights across Europe were hit by bomb threats on Tuesday, prompting authorities to briefly shut down a Warsaw airport and scramble fighter jets in Rome. Despite extensive ground searches, no explosives were discovered, and every aircraft involved took off and landed safely in various European cities within just a few hours of one another.
Ryanair Bears the Brunt of the Threats
Irish budget carrier Ryanair appeared to be the most heavily affected airline, with four of its flights to separate destinations receiving warnings. London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed it had been notified of threats against four aircraft scheduled to depart from or arrive at Heathrow Airport, one of the busiest aviation hubs in Europe. The force declined to provide further details but noted that an additional warning had been received concerning a flight at Manchester Airport. Following security checks, the Met stated that no security issues were identified.
In Spain, airport operator Aena confirmed that an emergency protocol was activated in response to a bomb alert on a Ryanair flight that landed at Murcia in the southeast of the country at 10:30 am local time after departing Manchester. The aircraft arrived without incident.
Additional Ryanair services also received warnings, including flights from Lisbon to Rome, Dublin to Rome, and Dublin to Sofia, the Bulgarian capital.
Italian Air Force Escorts Flight into Rome
Italian air force jets were dispatched to escort Ryanair flight FR9611 from Dublin as it touched down at Rome-Fiumicino at 10:45 am, according to a statement from the airport. Anti-bomb procedures had already been implemented earlier in the morning when another Ryanair flight arrived at 9:40 am. The airport confirmed that checks on passengers, luggage, and the aircraft all returned negative results, and the alert was subsequently lifted.
Separately, a Wizz Air flight originating from Bergamo, Italy, was inspected after landing in Sofia at 0910 GMT following an alert, a Bulgarian interior ministry spokesperson told AFP.
Warsaw-Bound Flights Diverted and Inspected
Two bomb warnings targeted aircraft heading to the Polish capital. Polish airport authorities reported that an SAS Scandinavian Airlines flight from Copenhagen and a LOT Polish Airlines flight from Heathrow were both affected. Scandinavian Airlines confirmed that a threat had been made against flight SK751 between Copenhagen and Warsaw, though the plane landed without any problems. It arrived at Warsaw’s Chopin airport, where one runway was closed while the aircraft underwent a security inspection. No explosives were found.
The LOT flight, which had also been scheduled to arrive at Chopin, was diverted to Warsaw Modlin, the Polish capital’s other airport. Authorities closed Modlin following the alert, but the Boeing 737 MAX landed safely. “Nothing was found,” Modlin airport spokesman Adam Szablowski told AFP.
Hungarian Jets Responded to Earlier Threat
The incidents followed a similar event on Monday, when fighter jets were scrambled after a Wizz Air flight from London’s Luton airport to Sofia was diverted due to a bomb threat and forced to make an emergency stop in Budapest. Hungarian Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi said in a Facebook post that NATO’s air defence alert service had issued a warning for the flight. “The Hungarian Defence Forces’ Gripen fighter jets took to the air within minutes and ensured the safe landing of the passenger aircraft in Budapest,” he said.
The string of threats caused significant disruption across European air travel, though authorities in multiple countries confirmed that all security inspections came back clear and that no dangerous materials were found on any of the aircraft involved.
