A wave of bomb threats has disrupted air travel across Europe, forcing aircraft to make emergency landings, triggering military escorts and prompting extensive security operations at several major airports.
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The incidents, which occurred on Thursday, November 5, 2026, affected flights operated by Aer Lingus, Finnair, LOT Polish Airlines, Ryanair and Wizz Air, with authorities in several countries deploying bomb disposal teams, police officers and military personnel to investigate the threats.
Although no explosives have been discovered in the aircraft searched, the threats have caused widespread disruption to European airspace, forcing flight diversions, delays and emergency security checks.
Authorities have yet to establish who is responsible for the threats or whether the incidents are connected. No individual or organisation has claimed responsibility.
One of the most serious incidents involved Aer Lingus flight EI402, travelling from Dublin, Ireland, to Rome, Italy.
The Airbus A320 was flying near Paris when it received a bomb threat, prompting the crew to divert to a French Air Force base at Evreux.
According to Aer Lingus and French authorities, all 151 passengers and six crew members were evacuated from the aircraft after it landed at the military facility.
Bomb disposal experts subsequently inspected the aircraft as part of emergency security procedures.
The office of French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu confirmed the evacuation and security operation.
In Italy, a Finnair flight travelling from Helsinki to Rome’s Fiumicino Airport was escorted by Italian Air Force fighter jets after authorities received an anonymous report of a possible bomb on board.
The aircraft, operating as flight AY1761, landed at Fiumicino Airport, where bomb disposal specialists conducted a security inspection.
No explosives were discovered.
A spokesperson for the airport authority confirmed that the military escort followed anonymous reports of a suspected bomb threat.
Another Finnair flight, AY1471, travelling from Helsinki to Vienna, was also targeted by a bomb threat.
The aircraft landed safely in the Austrian capital, where subsequent security checks established that the threat was unfounded.
Reacting to the incidents, Finnair spokesperson Stiina Tuunanen acknowledged that airlines across Europe had experienced similar threats in recent days.
“Unfortunately, air traffic is sometimes subject to threats, as we have seen this week, when other airlines in Europe have also faced hoax bomb threats,” Tuunanen said.
“Threats are almost always unfounded.”
Poland also experienced disruption after two LOT Polish Airlines flights departing Warsaw were targeted.
Flight LO235, travelling from Warsaw to Brussels, received a threat that prompted crew members to conduct checks while the aircraft was still airborne.
Following its arrival in Brussels, additional security screening was conducted, but no suspicious items were found.
Another LOT Polish Airlines flight, LO331, scheduled to operate from Warsaw to Paris, was also affected by a potential threat.
Polish authorities said searches of passengers and luggage uncovered no dangerous items.
The incident nevertheless disrupted travel arrangements, with police officers, military personnel and sniffer dogs deployed around aircraft at Warsaw Airport.
One affected passenger, Matthew Bojarsky, 28, told NBC News that he was preparing to travel to Paris with his American girlfriend when he noticed the heightened security presence.
According to Bojarsky, passengers were informed that safety protocols required their flight to be aborted and rescheduled.
The security response included masked officers and military personnel inspecting the area around the aircraft.
In Bulgaria, three Ryanair flights heading to the capital, Sofia, were also affected by bomb threats.
Two of the aircraft landed at their intended destination, while a third flight, FR1730, travelling from London Stansted to Sofia, was diverted to the Bulgarian city of Plovdiv.
Bulgaria’s Transport Ministry confirmed the incidents and the precautionary measures taken in response to the threats.
A Wizz Air flight, WMT3064, travelling from Milan to Bucharest, was similarly subjected to a bomb threat as it approached its destination.
Airport authorities said they were notified of the threat while the aircraft was arriving.
A bomb squad subsequently inspected the plane but found no explosives.
Security concerns also spread to the Czech Republic, where police announced that threats had been received concerning four unidentified aircraft heading to Prague.
According to Czech authorities, the threats involved claims that improvised explosive devices had been placed on the planes.
The warnings prompted security operations as police and aviation authorities assessed the potential risks.
Emergency measures were also introduced at airports in Copenhagen, Prague and Warsaw as authorities responded to the reports.
The incidents came amid a series of similar threats reported across Europe earlier in the week.
Several aircraft had already been forced to divert, while an airport in Poland was temporarily closed following security alerts.
Authorities in the affected countries said no explosive devices had been discovered during investigations into those earlier incidents.
The threats have not been limited to aircraft.
On Tuesday, November 3, a security operation was launched at the Greek island port of Syros following a bomb threat involving an Israel-bound cruise ship.
Authorities said an unidentified person claimed that an explosive device had been attached to the hull of the Panama-flagged Crown Iris, which was scheduled to sail to Haifa, Israel.
The warning prompted a security response at the port as officials investigated the allegation.
The repeated incidents have caused concern across Europe’s aviation sector because even unsubstantiated bomb threats require airlines and airport authorities to activate emergency safety procedures.
Such measures can include diverting aircraft, evacuating passengers, deploying bomb disposal teams, conducting security searches and coordinating with military authorities.
Thursday’s incidents demonstrated the operational disruption caused by these threats, with several international flights affected across France, Italy, Austria, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania and the Czech Republic.
Despite the extensive security operations, authorities have not identified any explosive devices in the aircraft searched.
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