Seven passenger flights across Europe were hit by bomb threats on November 3. One was diverted to a different Warsaw airport, another landed in Rome with Italian fighter jets alongside, and passengers in Spain were taken off their aircraft while police searched it. Every flight landed safely. No explosives were found on any of them.
The affected services were operated by Ryanair, Wizz Air, LOT Polish Airlines and SAS, on routes into Poland, Spain, Italy and Bulgaria. The threats came only a day after a Wizz Air flight was sent to Budapest under similar circumstances, and investigators are now looking at whether the cases are linked.
7 Flights
Targeted on November 3
4 Airlines
Ryanair, Wizz Air, LOT, SAS
4 Countries
Poland, Spain, Italy, Bulgaria
No Explosives
Found on Any Aircraft
The Seven Flights
Here is how each threat played out on November 3:
| Airline | Route | What Happened |
|---|---|---|
| LOT | London Heathrow → Warsaw | Diverted to Warsaw Modlin; aircraft searched |
| SAS | Copenhagen → Warsaw | Landed at Warsaw Chopin as planned (SK751); security checks |
| Ryanair | Manchester → Murcia | Met by emergency services; passengers evacuated |
| Ryanair | Dublin → Rome Fiumicino | Escorted by Italian Air Force jets; searched |
| Ryanair | Lisbon → Rome Fiumicino | Searched after a separate warning |
| Wizz Air | Bergamo → Sofia | Inspected after landing |
| Ryanair | Dublin → Sofia | Security checks in Sofia |
Warsaw: Modlin Briefly Shuts Down
Poland saw the biggest disruption. The LOT Boeing 737 MAX from Heathrow was redirected to Warsaw Modlin once the threat came in, and the airport halted operations while the jet was dealt with. Passengers were evacuated, and security teams went through the cabin and the baggage hold. Nothing was found, and Modlin reopened.
Across the city, the SAS flight from Copenhagen landed at Warsaw Chopin on schedule. It too was checked, which affected operations there for a time.
Rome: A Military Escort
Italy sent fighter jets to meet the Ryanair flight from Dublin and escort it into Fiumicino. A second Ryanair aircraft, arriving from Lisbon, was searched after its own warning. Police bomb disposal teams checked both planes, their passengers and their bags. Neither held an explosive device.
Murcia and Sofia
In Spain, emergency vehicles were waiting for the Ryanair flight from Manchester when it landed in Murcia. Passengers were asked to leave while police went through the aircraft, and Spanish authorities later confirmed it was clear. In Sofia, a Wizz Air flight from Bergamo and a Ryanair flight from Dublin were both inspected after landing.
A Day Earlier: Wizz Air Sent to Budapest
The November 3 threats followed a scare on November 2. Wizz Air flight W6 2409, flying from London Luton to Sofia, received a bomb threat in the air and was diverted to Budapest. Hungary scrambled Gripen fighters to escort it in.
The aircraft landed safely, passengers were taken off and security teams searched it. Again, nothing was found.
Are the Threats Connected?
That is still unclear. The threats came over two days and targeted flights bound for four countries, so authorities are looking at whether they share a common source. So far, there is no confirmed evidence of a coordinated campaign.
The UK government has called the threats against flights departing Britain malicious hoaxes, adding that standard aviation security procedures were followed. Police and aviation authorities across Europe are now trying to identify who made them.
Why Hoaxes Still Ground Flights
A threat has to be treated as real until it is ruled out. That can mean sending a flight to another airport, getting passengers off, searching every bag and pausing operations at the airport. For travelers on November 3, it meant delays and unplanned stops in several cities. Once the checks were done, flights were cleared to continue.
