Hoax bomb threats disrupt flights across Europe: what we know
Bomb threats hit flights across Europe on November 3 and again on November 5, 2026, when about 12 planes were targeted and one diverted to France.
The essentials: A wave of bomb threats targeted flights across Europe on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, after a first alert on a Wizz Air flight from London Luton the day before. Planes were inspected in Poland, Italy, Spain and Bulgaria, a Warsaw airport was briefly closed and fighter jets escorted aircraft. All of the threats turned out to be false, and no explosives were found, according to AFP, AP and Reuters. A new wave followed on Thursday, November 5, targeting about 12 flights.
Which flights were affected?
Counts vary. France 24 speaks of about 10 European flights, while Al Jazeera counts at least seven flights and a cruise ship bound for Israel. Ryanair was the worst hit, with four flights targeted.
| Flight | What happened |
|---|---|
| Wizz Air, Luton → Sofia (Monday, November 2) | Diverted to Budapest, escorted by Hungarian Gripen fighter jets |
| SAS SK751, Copenhagen → Warsaw | Landed normally, then inspected; one runway at Warsaw Chopin closed |
| LOT, Heathrow → Warsaw | Diverted to Warsaw Modlin, which was briefly closed |
| Ryanair, Lisbon → Rome | Landed at Fiumicino; checks were negative |
| Ryanair FR9611, Dublin → Rome | Escorted by two Italian Air Force Eurofighters |
| Ryanair, Manchester → Murcia | Spain’s airport operator Aena activated its emergency protocol |
| Wizz Air, Bergamo → Sofia, and Ryanair, Dublin → Sofia | Inspected after landing in Bulgaria |
Sources: France 24, Al Jazeera, Associated Press.
The Metropolitan Police said it had been told about threats against four aircraft due to depart from or arrive at Heathrow, plus a further warning about a flight at Manchester Airport. After checks, “no security issues were identified”, the force said. In Greece, the Israeli-run cruise ship Crown Iris was evacuated off the island of Syros after a threat, and nothing suspicious was found.
How were the threats made?
Few details have been released. At Rome Fiumicino, an official told AP that the Lisbon flight landed after an email reported a bomb on board. In Bulgaria, Transport Minister Georgi Peev said a pilot had been warned by his airline: “The pilot received information through his own channels — from the airline — that such a threat existed.”
For the Monday flight from Luton, Hungarian Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi said NATO’s air defence service raised the alert. “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 wrote on Facebook.
Who could be behind them?
No one has claimed responsibility, and no government has assigned blame, Al Jazeera reports. Bulgarian authorities said they were still trying to identify the sender, and SAS referred the case to Polish police.
Analysts at aviation security firm Osprey Flight Solutions offer several possibilities. Matthew Borie told AP the incidents could be copycats of a single threat, the work of one person or group, or “hybrid warfare” by states or their supporters. “There could be a Russian angle,” he said, adding that Iranian hybrid warfare is just as active. European officials have accused Russia and Iran of hybrid attacks in the past, which both countries deny. Rhys Jones, also of Osprey, told Reuters that “seven confirmed bomb threats in a single day affecting flights was exceptional”.
What happened on Thursday, November 5?
A fresh series of threats hit European flights two days later. About 12 flights were targeted on Thursday, according to Al Jazeera, and at least 12 according to Belgian broadcaster RTBF.
| Flight | What happened |
|---|---|
| Aer Lingus, Dublin → Rome (A320) | Intercepted by a French fighter jet and diverted to the Évreux air base in Normandy |
| LOT LO235, Warsaw → Brussels | Landed at Brussels Airport; an onboard check found nothing |
| Finnair, Helsinki → Rome | Escorted by military aircraft to Fiumicino and checked by bomb disposal experts |
| Wizz Air W4 6387, Milan Malpensa → Warsaw | Diverted to Vienna |
| Three aircraft to Bulgaria, four to Prague | Emergency landings requested in Bulgaria; checks in Prague were negative |
Sources: Al Jazeera, RTBF.
“The aircraft has been diverted and is being escorted to the Evreux airfield,” the French Air Force said, according to Al Jazeera. The 151 passengers and six crew of the Aer Lingus flight were moved to safety. LOT said: “No suspicious items were found.” In the Czech Republic, police handed the investigation to the national centre against terrorism, extremism and cybercrime (NCTEKK). Once again, no one claimed responsibility.
Should passengers worry?
No one was hurt, and the planes landed normally before being searched. “Don’t be alarmed,” Borie advised travellers. Airports applied their security procedures, from anti-bomb checks in Rome to the emergency protocol in Murcia. Investigations are under way in Poland, Bulgaria and Greece.
