A wave of bomb threats targeting passenger aircraft across Europe has triggered widespread flight disruption, emergency landings, airport closures and fighter jet escorts, with at least seven flights affected in a single day.
The series of incidents involved aircraft operated by Ryanair, LOT Polish Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) and Wizz Air, prompting major security responses across Poland, Spain, Bulgaria and Italy.
While all affected aircraft landed safely and no explosives were discovered, authorities are investigating whether the threats were connected and who was responsible.
Among the most disruptive incidents was a LOT Polish Airlines flight from London’s Heathrow Airport to Warsaw, which was diverted to Warsaw-Modlin Airport following a bomb alert.
The warning prompted the temporary closure of Modlin Airport while passengers were evacuated and the aircraft underwent a full security inspection. No suspicious devices were found and the airport subsequently reopened.
A SAS flight travelling from Copenhagen to Warsaw also received a bomb threat, triggering security checks at Warsaw’s Chopin Airport and the temporary closure of one runway.
In Spain, a Ryanair service from Manchester to Murcia landed under emergency protocols after a bomb warning was received.
Emergency crews and police, including specialist search teams, inspected the aircraft and baggage after passengers disembarked. Spanish authorities later confirmed no explosives had been found.
Bulgaria was also caught up in the security alerts, with two flights arriving in Sofia, one from Italy’s Bergamo Airport and another from Dublin, subjected to inspections after bomb threats.
Meanwhile, two Ryanair aircraft arriving at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport from Lisbon and Dublin were also targeted.
Italian Air Force fighter jets were scrambled to escort the Dublin flight safely to the airport, where specialist teams carried out security checks.
The incidents followed another serious scare on Monday when a Wizz Air flight travelling from London’s Luton Airport to Sofia was forced to divert to Budapest after receiving a bomb threat while airborne.
Hungarian fighter jets were scrambled to intercept and escort the aircraft to Budapest, where it landed safely.
Despite the scale of the disruption, investigators have yet to establish whether the threats were coordinated or the work of separate individuals.
Aviation security specialists have raised the possibility of copycat incidents, deliberate disruption or so-called hybrid warfare involving state-backed actors, although there is currently no confirmed evidence linking the threats to any government or organisation.
