A fresh wave of bomb threats targeting passenger aircraft across Europe has prompted further emergency diversions, fighter jet interceptions and security inspections, with a Ryanair flight departing London Stansted among at least 14 services affected on Thursday 5th of November.
The latest incidents mark the third consecutive day of significant disruption to European aviation, with threats reported against aircraft operated by Ryanair, Wizz Air, Aer Lingus, Finnair, LOT Polish Airlines and Aegean Airlines. Several aircraft have been diverted to alternative airports, while others have been escorted by military aircraft or subjected to precautionary security searches after landing.
The latest developments follow earlier incidents involving flights from London Luton, London Heathrow and Manchester, raising further questions about the source of the threats and whether the incidents are connected.
Authorities have so far reported no explosives or suspicious devices aboard the aircraft inspected, although investigations into the origins of the warnings remain ongoing.
Ryanair flight from London Stansted diverted to Plovdiv
The latest UK departure to be affected was Ryanair flight FR1730, operating between London Stansted and Sofia, Bulgaria.
The aircraft departed Stansted at approximately 6am on Thursday morning and was scheduled to arrive in Sofia later that morning. However, following a bomb threat received concerning the flight, the aircraft was diverted to Plovdiv Airport, east of the Bulgarian capital.
The Bulgarian Ministry of Transport confirmed that three Ryanair flights heading to Sofia from Madrid, Copenhagen and London had been targeted by threats received by email.
Two of the aircraft continued to Sofia, while the Stansted service was diverted to Plovdiv. All three aircraft were escorted by Bulgarian Air Force fighter jets, with the country’s Ministry of Defence confirming that the aircraft had been intercepted as part of its air defence response.
According to Radio Bulgaria, three MiG-29 fighter jets operating from Graf Ignatievo Air Base were scrambled at approximately 10.11am local time to intercept and escort the civilian aircraft.
Following their arrival, the aircraft underwent security inspections. Bulgarian authorities subsequently confirmed that no explosives or dangerous items had been discovered aboard the three Ryanair services.
Passengers travelling on the diverted London service faced onward disruption, with the airline arranging alternative transportation from Plovdiv to Sofia.
The incident represents the second Ryanair flight departing the UK to be affected in three days, following Tuesday’s security alert involving a Manchester–Murcia service.
More than a dozen European flights affected on Thursday
The incident involving the Stansted departure was part of a much wider series of security alerts affecting European aviation throughout Thursday morning.
An Aer Lingus Airbus A320 operating flight EI402 from Dublin to Rome was diverted to Évreux-Fauville Air Base in northern France following a bomb threat. The aircraft was escorted by French military aircraft before landing safely at the military airfield.
Aer Lingus confirmed that the diversion had been made as a security precaution, stating: “The flight landed safely and Aer Lingus will work to reaccommodate customers to their final destination as soon as possible.”
French authorities confirmed that the situation was being monitored, with the aircraft directed to the military facility to allow the necessary security procedures to take place.
Wizz Air also experienced further disruption, with a flight from Milan Malpensa to Warsaw diverted to Vienna following a threat. Another Wizz Air service, travelling from Milan Malpensa to Bucharest, received a warning but landed safely at its intended destination, where security checks were subsequently undertaken.
Finnair reported two separate incidents involving flights from Helsinki to Rome and Helsinki to Vienna. Both aircraft landed safely, with the airline confirming that passengers had disembarked and inspections had been carried out.
Aegean Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines and Ryanair were also among the carriers affected, with additional warnings reported against aircraft arriving in Milan, Warsaw and Prague.
In the Czech Republic, four flights heading to Prague were subjected to threats. Police confirmed that specialist pyrotechnic inspections were being undertaken following the aircraft’s arrival.
The Czech police’s assessment was that the credibility of the threats was low, but stressed that the situation was not being underestimated and that all necessary security measures had been activated.
Earlier UK flights also targeted
The latest incidents follow a series of threats involving flights departing the UK earlier in the week.
On Monday 2nd of November, a Wizz Air flight travelling from London Luton to Sofia was diverted to Budapest after receiving a bomb threat while airborne. A Hungarian Air Force Gripen fighter jet was scrambled to escort the aircraft to Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport, where it landed safely.
The aircraft was inspected by the relevant authorities, with no explosives discovered. Wizz Air subsequently confirmed that the flight was cleared to continue to Sofia.
On Tuesday 3rd of November, two further UK departures were affected. A LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 737 MAX operating from London Heathrow to Warsaw was diverted to Warsaw-Modlin Airport following a security warning. The aircraft, carrying 181 people, landed safely and underwent a security inspection, with the airline confirming that no suspicious items had been found.
A Ryanair service from Manchester to Murcia in Spain was also subjected to a bomb threat. Carrying 114 passengers and seven crew members, the aircraft landed safely before passengers disembarked and specialist Spanish police units carried out an inspection. The Guardia Civil subsequently confirmed that no explosives had been discovered.
The Metropolitan Police also confirmed that it had received reports of threats involving four aircraft due to depart from or arrive at Heathrow, together with a further warning involving an aircraft at Manchester Airport.
In a statement, the force said: “Following an assessment by the respective airlines, no security issues were identified.”
The Met’s Aviation Policing Command confirmed that it continued to monitor the situation and liaise with the relevant authorities.
Investigations continue as authorities examine possible connections
With threats now reported across several countries and involving multiple airlines, attention is increasingly turning towards the origin of the warnings and whether they form part of a coordinated attempt to disrupt European aviation.
Bulgarian authorities have confirmed that the latest threats against the three Ryanair services were received by email and that security services are working to identify their source.
The country has also increased security measures at affected airports, with military aircraft deployed to escort the threatened services.
In the Czech Republic, the investigation into the threats against four Prague-bound aircraft has been taken over by the National Centre Against Terrorism, Extremism and Cybercrime (NCTEKK).
Despite the growing number of incidents, authorities have not publicly established a common perpetrator or confirmed that the threats are being directed by a particular organisation or state.
The wider European security environment has inevitably prompted questions about possible hybrid threats, particularly given previous concerns surrounding sabotage, cyber-attacks and other attempts to disrupt critical infrastructure. However, there is currently insufficient publicly available evidence to attribute this particular series of incidents to any specific state or organisation.
European aviation faces continued disruption
The latest incidents have highlighted the considerable operational challenges posed by repeated security warnings against commercial aircraft. Each report requires airlines, airport operators, police and national security agencies to assess the circumstances and implement appropriate procedures, regardless of whether a device is subsequently discovered.
The involvement of military aircraft from Hungary, Bulgaria, Italy and France also demonstrates the extent of the response being mobilised to protect passenger services.
For airlines, the consequences extend beyond individual diversions, with aircraft and crew displaced from their planned schedules, passengers facing missed connections and airports having to accommodate unscheduled arrivals and security operations.
With at least 14 flights reportedly affected on Thursday alone, the latest wave represents a significant escalation from the initial incidents earlier in the week.
Although all reported aircraft inspections have so far failed to identify explosives, the investigations remain active. Airlines and aviation authorities across Europe continue to treat each warning seriously, with passenger and crew safety remaining the overriding priority.