At least 14 flights across Europe were targeted by bomb threats on Thursday, prompting the deployment of fighter jets, flight diversions and heightened security measures, according to airlines and aviation authorities.
The incidents marked the third consecutive day of mass bomb alerts across the continent, with low-cost carriers and flights travelling to or from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Italy particularly affected.
Italian, French and Bulgarian fighter jets were deployed to escort several aircraft after the threats were received. Three flights were diverted, but all the affected aircraft eventually landed safely, with no explosives discovered during security inspections.
More than 20 suspected hoax bomb threats have now been reported across European aviation this week, with budget airline Ryanair targeted at least seven times.
Ryanair Flights Targeted
Three Ryanair aircraft travelling to Sofia, Bulgaria, from Madrid, Copenhagen and London’s Stansted Airport were targeted by bomb threats, a spokesperson for Bulgaria’s Ministry of Transport told AFP.
Two of the aircraft landed safely in Sofia, while the flight from London Stansted was diverted to Plovdiv Airport, east of the Bulgarian capital.
Bulgaria’s Defence Ministry said fighter jets escorted all three aircraft as part of security procedures designed to detect, identify and accompany planes facing potential threats.
An Interior Ministry spokesperson later confirmed that all three aircraft were inspected and no explosives were discovered.
Finnair Flights Receive Threats
A Finnair flight travelling from Helsinki to Rome was escorted by an Italian fighter jet before landing at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport, where bomb disposal experts examined the aircraft.
An airport spokesperson confirmed the inspection, while Finnair representative Stiina Tuunanen said nothing suspicious was found.
Tuunanen said the airline had established procedures for handling such incidents and worked closely with local authorities to ensure passenger safety.
She also confirmed that another false bomb threat had targeted flight AY1471 from Helsinki to Vienna, although she did not provide further details.
Wizz Air Aircraft Diverted
Wizz Air also reported bomb threats involving two of its flights.
A flight travelling from Milan to Warsaw was redirected to Vienna after receiving a threat, with the airline saying the decision was taken in line with established safety protocols.
Another Wizz Air aircraft flying from Milan to Bucharest landed safely at its destination.
Romania’s intelligence service said a crisis response unit was activated at Henri Coanda Airport following the aircraft’s arrival.
Aer Lingus Flight Escorted to France
An Aer Lingus flight travelling from Dublin to Rome was diverted to France after a bomb threat was reported.
French authorities said military aircraft escorted the plane to Evreux air base, west of Paris, where it landed safely.
In a statement, Aer Lingus confirmed the safe landing and said it would make arrangements to transport affected passengers to their final destinations.
Threats Target Prague and Copenhagen Flights
Four aircraft bound for Prague were also targeted, involving flights operated by Ryanair, EasyJet and Sky Express.
Czech police said they considered the threats to have a low level of credibility but had activated the necessary security measures.
“We perceive the credibility of the threats as low,” police said in a post on X.
“Nevertheless, we are not underestimating the situation, and all necessary security measures have been activated.”
Prague Airport spokesperson Denisa Hejtmankova told AFP that the threats were received through emails sent from anonymous addresses. The specific airlines involved in each incident were not immediately established.
Meanwhile, two aircraft arriving in Copenhagen were also reportedly targeted.
However, Copenhagen police assured the public that their assessment indicated no danger to passengers or other people at the airport.
“Our assessment is that there is no danger, and there has never been any danger, to passengers or anyone else at the airport,” the police said.
Authorities Investigate Source of Threats
The origin and motives behind the wave of bomb threats remained unclear as investigations continued.
However, the incidents came amid growing concerns over so-called hybrid attacks across Europe, which authorities have sometimes linked to Russia or Iran.
France’s Secretary-General for Defence and National Security, Nicolas Roche, told parliament last month that Europe was witnessing an increase in different forms of hybrid attacks, including sabotage, cyberattacks, drone operations and espionage.
Earlier Bomb Alerts Disrupt Flights
The latest incidents followed a series of bomb threats reported earlier in the week.
On Tuesday, 10 flights were targeted by bomb alerts, all of which were later established to be hoaxes.
The threats led to the temporary closure of an airport in Warsaw and prompted the deployment of Italian fighter jets to escort affected aircraft.
On Monday, a Wizz Air flight travelling from London’s Luton Airport to Sofia was diverted to Budapest, where it made an emergency landing following a bomb threat.
Although the threats have so far proved unfounded, the repeated incidents have prompted increased security operations and disrupted air travel across several European countries.
