At least 14 passenger flights across Europe were targeted by hoax bomb threats on Thursday, 5 November, the third consecutive day of a wave of false alerts that has scrambled fighter jets, forced aircraft to divert and put airports across the continent on heightened alert. All of the aircraft landed safely, and inspections found no explosives, authorities and airlines said.
The threats singled out low-cost carriers and flights to or from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Italy, according to AFP. Italian, French and Bulgarian fighter jets were scrambled to escort threatened aircraft. More than 20 hoax threats have now been reported across Europe this week, and Ryanair alone has been the target of at least seven.
Three diversions on Thursday
The most dramatic diversion involved an Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Rome, which was rerouted to France after a bomb threat and escorted by French military aircraft to the Évreux air base west of Paris. "The flight landed safely and Aer Lingus will work to reaccommodate customers to their final destination as soon as possible," the airline said in a statement.
A Wizz Air flight from Milan to Warsaw was also diverted, landing in Vienna after receiving a threat, the airline said, "in accordance with established safety protocols and procedures". A second Wizz Air flight, from Milan to Bucharest, landed at its destination safely, after which a crisis unit was set up at Bucharest's Henri Coanda Airport, the Romanian intelligence service said.
Three Ryanair aircraft heading for Sofia — from Madrid, Copenhagen and London Stansted — were targeted by bomb threats, a spokesperson for Bulgaria's transport ministry told AFP. Two of the planes landed in Sofia, while the flight from London Stansted was diverted to Plovdiv, east of the capital. Bulgarian fighter jets escorted all three aircraft, and inspections later found no explosives, an interior ministry spokesperson told AFP.
Fighter escorts in Italy and France
A Finnair flight from Helsinki to Rome was escorted to Rome by an Italian fighter jet and checked by bomb experts, a spokesman for Rome's Fiumicino Airport told AFP. Finnair spokesperson Stiina Tuunanen confirmed that "nothing unusual was found" when the jet landed, adding that the airline has "a very clear process that we follow in situations like this, and we always work closely with the local authorities". A second Finnair flight, from Helsinki to Vienna, was also targeted by a false bomb threat, the airline said.
In Prague, four incoming aircraft operated by Ryanair, EasyJet and Sky Express were targeted. Czech police said on X: "We perceive the credibility of the threats as low. Nevertheless, we are not underestimating the situation, and all necessary security measures have been activated." Prague Airport said it had received the threats in emails from anonymous addresses, spokeswoman Denisa Hejtmankova told AFP.
Two aircraft arriving in Copenhagen were also threatened. "Our assessment is that there is no danger, and there has never been any danger, to passengers or anyone else at the airport," Copenhagen police told AFP.
Why the response is so large: aviation security protocol treats every bomb threat as credible until an aircraft has been searched, even when the threat itself looks like a hoax. That is why fighter jets are scrambled and aircraft are diverted to military airfields — the response is designed for the worst case, not the most likely one.
A three-day pattern
Thursday was the third day of threats this week. On Tuesday, 10 flights were targeted with bomb threats, all of which turned out to be hoaxes, according to AFP. The alerts forced the closure of a Warsaw airport and the deployment of Italian air force jets. On Monday, a Wizz Air flight from London's Luton airport to Sofia was diverted because of a bomb threat and forced to make an emergency stop in Budapest.
| Day | What happened | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Monday, 2 November | Wizz Air flight from London Luton to Sofia threatened | Diverted to Budapest; no explosives found |
| Tuesday, 3 November | 10 flights targeted across Europe | All hoaxes; a Warsaw airport closed; Italian jets deployed |
| Thursday, 5 November | At least 14 flights targeted, including three diversions | All aircraft landed safely; no explosives found |
Who is behind the threats — and what is not yet known
The origin and motives of the threats are unknown, and authorities have not said whether the alerts are connected or who is responsible. The threats come amid a rise in hybrid attacks across Europe, some of which authorities have linked to Russia or Iran — but no official has linked this week's aviation threats to any state or group.
France's secretary general for defence and national security, Nicolas Roche, told parliament last month that Europe was seeing "the massing of hybrid attacks in all their diversity — sabotage, cyber, drones, espionage of course".
What is unverified: who is sending the threats, whether they are coordinated, and what their motive is. No authority has attributed this week's bomb threats to any person, group or state. Early speculation on social media about responsibility should be treated as unverified.
What we know — and what we don't know yet
What we know:
- At least 14 flights were targeted by bomb threats on Thursday, 5 November — the third day of such threats this week, according to AFP.
- Three aircraft were diverted: an Aer Lingus flight to a French military air base, a Ryanair flight to Plovdiv, and a Wizz Air flight to Vienna. All landed safely.
- Fighter jets from Italy, France and Bulgaria escorted threatened aircraft.
- Inspections found no explosives on any of the aircraft checked.
- Threats against Prague-bound flights arrived by email from anonymous addresses, according to Prague Airport.
What we don't know yet:
- Who is behind the threats, or whether they are coordinated.
- What the motive is — disruption, intimidation, or something else.
- Whether the wave will continue into Friday, and what additional security measures airports and airlines will take.
Frequently asked questions
Were any explosives found?
No. Every aircraft inspected after Thursday's threats was found to carry no explosives, and all flights landed safely, according to the authorities and airlines involved.
Why do fighter jets escort passenger planes over a hoax?
Because a threat cannot be confirmed as a hoax until the aircraft has been searched. Escorts let air forces monitor the aircraft, guide it to a safe landing place — sometimes a military airfield — and respond immediately if the situation changes.
Which airlines were affected?
On Thursday, Ryanair, Finnair, Wizz Air, Aer Lingus, EasyJet, Sky Express and LOT Polish Airlines were among the airlines named in reports, with low-cost carriers and flights to or from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Italy most affected.
Is it safe to fly in Europe right now?
Authorities have said there is no danger to passengers. Copenhagen police said there was no danger to passengers or anyone else at the airport, and Czech police described the credibility of the threats as low while keeping security measures activated. Passengers should check with their airline for delays, as diversions and inspections can disrupt schedules.
Key takeaways
- At least 14 European flights were hit by hoax bomb threats on Thursday — the third day of a wave that has now topped 20 threats this week.
- Fighter jets from three countries scrambled, three aircraft diverted, and every plane landed safely with no explosives found.
- Low-cost carriers and flights to Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Italy were the main targets.
- Who is behind the threats and why remains unknown — no authority has attributed them to anyone.
What to watch next
Whether the threats continue on Friday, and what European aviation authorities and police say about the investigation — including whether the anonymous emails sent to Prague Airport can be traced. Airlines will also be watched for schedule disruption: diverted aircraft and security inspections can strand passengers and crews far from their planned routes, and Aer Lingus said it was working to reaccommodate affected customers. This article will be updated as the investigation develops.
