European flights hit by bomb threats
At least 25 flights across the continent faced alerts, prompting the EU to activate a data-sharing protocol between member states.
By Lily Carter ·
A coordinated series of false bomb threats disrupted air traffic across Europe on Thursday, forcing at least 25 flights to divert or land under escort. The incidents spanned multiple countries and triggered a security response from the European Commission.
The disruption began on Tuesday when three flights at Madrid-Barajas airport received alerts. Aena, the airport operator, confirmed that two Iberia flights and one Air Europa flight were inspected by a security committee formed with state forces. Officials declared the threats false after thorough checks. On Thursday, the pattern expanded to include routes involving France, Belgium, Austria, Poland, Denmark, Ireland, Greece, Finland, Serbia, and Romania.
In one notable incident, a plane traveling from Dublin to Rome was diverted over French airspace after a bomb alert. Two fighter jets forced the aircraft to land at Évreux air base east of Paris. The pilot had initially refused to land at the military installation. Bulgaria's Ministry of Transport reported that three Ryanair flights from Madrid, London, and Copenhagen also faced threats. Military aircraft escorted these planes until they landed safely.
Finnair stated that one of its flights, carrying 144 passengers, was escorted by Italian fighter jets before touching down in Rome. In Austria, Eurofighters ascended to accompany other threatened aircraft. Authorities inspected all affected planes and found no suspicious items. The incidents primarily impacted low-cost carriers such as Ryanair, Wizz Air, and Aer Lingus, though national airlines like Iberia, Finnair, and Aegean Airlines were also affected.
Ground operations also faced interruptions. Warsaw Chopin Airport temporarily closed a runway after a LOT flight bound for Paris received a threat before takeoff. Copenhagen deployed police and military bomb squads to inspect two parked aircraft. In the United Kingdom, authorities at Heathrow and Birmingham airports dismissed threats as "not credible." A similar delay occurred in Cork, Ireland.
The European Commission activated a mechanism to share information among member states in response to the sequence of events. Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the EU commissioner for sustainable transport and tourism, stated on X that the commission is monitoring the situation closely. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency noted that immediate operational risks are low because pilots and air traffic controllers have training for such events. NATO confirmed it is coordinating with allies and has received some diverted flights.
The International Air Transport Association condemned the attempts to disrupt air traffic and urged authorities to find the source of the threats. The agency assured passengers that security measures will maintain high safety standards.
