A series of reported bomb threats targeting passenger aircraft caused widespread disruption across Europe on Thursday, forcing several flights to divert, triggering military responses and prompting security inspections at major airports.
Airlines affected by the alerts included Ryanair, Wizz Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Finnair, Jettime and Aer Lingus, with incidents reported in France, Italy, Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, Belgium, Poland and the Czech Republic.
In France, an Aer Lingus Airbus A320 travelling from Dublin to Rome was redirected to a military air base in Evreux, Normandy, after authorities received a bomb threat.
The aircraft, carrying 151 passengers and six crew members, landed without incident. French military explosives specialists were dispatched to examine the plane, while those on board were evacuated to a secure location, according to the office of Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu.
Italian authorities also responded to a security alert involving a Finnair flight from Helsinki to Rome. Italian Air Force fighter jets escorted the aircraft to Fiumicino Airport, where it landed safely and underwent security checks.
Flight operations at the airport were temporarily halted for approximately 30 minutes, Italian news agency ANSA reported.
Two other aircraft heading to Milan Malpensa, an Aegean Airlines flight from Thessaloniki and a Ryanair service from Porto, were also affected by bomb scares but completed their journeys without diversion.
In Austria, a Wizz Air Airbus A321 travelling from Milan to Warsaw made an unscheduled landing at Vienna International Airport. Security teams inspected the aircraft but found no suspicious objects.
A separate Helsinki-to-Vienna flight operated by Jettime for Finnair also received a threat but landed as planned.
Bulgarian authorities scrambled MiG-29 fighter jets after three Ryanair flights bound for Sofia became the targets of bomb threats.
In Romania, a Wizz Air flight arriving from Milan landed at Bucharest’s Henri Coanda International Airport following a security warning. Passengers were evacuated, and a crisis management team was activated while specialists searched the aircraft, according to broadcaster Digi24.
Belgium reported a similar incident involving a LOT Polish Airlines flight from Warsaw to Brussels. The aircraft landed safely after authorities received information about a possible threat.
Meanwhile, Czech police responded to alerts involving four flights heading towards Prague. Although officials assessed the threats as having low credibility, precautionary security measures and inspections were carried out.
Polish media also reported that a LOT flight scheduled to travel from Warsaw to Paris underwent security procedures at Chopin Airport following a threat involving the aircraft.
Despite the extensive disruption, the aircraft involved in the reported incidents were able to land safely, and no confirmed explosive devices were reported in the information available.
Authorities in the affected countries carried out precautionary checks as investigations continued into the origin and credibility of the threats. It was not immediately clear whether the incidents were connected.