Hoax bomb threats disrupt at least four flights in Europe

Updated / Tuesday, 3 Nov 2026 14:37

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At least four European flights have been targeted by bomb threats, forcing the temporary closure of one Warsaw airport, but all planes landed safely and no explosives were found, authorities said.

Two bomb warnings targeted flights heading to the Polish capital Warsaw, including an SAS Scandinavian Airlines flight from Copenhagen and one from London's Heathrow airport operated by Polish airline LOT.

In a third incident Aena, the Spanish airport operator, confirmed an emergency protocol was activated "due to a bomb alert" on a Ryanair flight from the northwestern UK city of Manchester to Murcia in southeastern Spain.

A Wizz Air flight from Bergamo, Italy, was inspected after landing at 09.10am in the Bulgarian capital Sofia, a Bulgarian interior ministry spokesperson said.

The incidents come after fighter jets were scrambled yesterday when a Wizz Air flight from London's Luton airport to Sofia was diverted following a bomb threat and forced to make an emergency stop in Budapest.

Today's Ryanair flight landed without incident in Murcia, and the emergency plan was deactivated after checks by Spain's Civil Guard.

Scandinavian Airlines said it could "confirm that a threat has been made against flight SK751 between Copenhagen and Warsaw".

"The aircraft landed normally in Warsaw and the passengers have disembarked."

It arrived at Warsaw's Chopin airport, which closed one runway as the plane underwent a security inspection, but no explosives were found.

The LOT flight, which had also been scheduled to arrive at Chopin, was diverted to the Polish capital's other airport, Warsaw Modlin.

Authorities closed that airport following the alert, but the Boeing 737 MAX also landed safely.

"The passengers were evacuated and the plane underwent security checks. Nothing was found," Modlin airport spokesman Adam Szablowski said.

"The airport has been reopened and is operating normally."

Hungary's defence minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi said on Facebook that yesterday, NATO's air defence alert service had issued an alert for the Wizz Air flight from Luton.

"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.

On Sunday, a bomb threat forced an Austrian Airlines flight from Tel Aviv to Vienna to reroute to Bulgaria. No explosives were found.