European Air Travel: Four Flights Hit by Fake Bomb Alerts

Four separate aircraft were forced to land or be diverted on Tuesday after receiving unverified bomb threats, a coordinated disruption that temporarily shut down sections of two Polish airports. No explosives were found on any of the planes, and all passengers reached their destinations safely according to official statements.

The first incident involved Scandinavian Airlines flight SK751, which departed Copenhagen for Warsaw. The aircraft landed at Warsaw Chopin Airport, where one runway was closed for a security sweep. The airline confirmed the plane touched down normally and passengers exited without issue. A second flight, operated by Polish carrier LOT, was traveling from London Heathrow to Chopin. Instead of its planned destination, the Boeing 737 MAX was diverted to Warsaw Modlin Airport. Adam Szablowski, a spokesman for Modlin, told AFP that the airport was closed following the alert. Passengers were evacuated for checks, and no suspicious items were discovered. Szablowski noted the facility has since reopened and is operating normally.

In Spain, airport operator Aena activated emergency protocols for a Ryanair flight arriving from Manchester, UK, to Murcia. The flight landed without technical problems. The Spanish Civil Guard conducted its inspection, and the emergency plan was lifted once checks were completed. In Bulgaria, a Wizz Air flight from Bergamo, Italy, landed in Sofia at 9:10 a.m. GMT. A spokesperson for the interior ministry confirmed the aircraft was inspected immediately after arrival. This event followed a similar disruption on Monday, when a Wizz Air flight from London Luton was diverted to Budapest due to a bomb threat.

Hungarian Defense Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi described the Monday response on Facebook. He stated that NATO’s air defense alert service issued an alert for the Luton-bound flight. Hungarian Gripen fighter jets scrambled within minutes to ensure the safe landing of the passenger aircraft in Budapest. The current surge in threats arrives one month after a flydubai jet bound for Israel was involved in an attack by a copilot. That incident involved an axe attack in the cockpit, which was thwarted when the captain opened the door, allowing others to take control.

In response to these events, new security rules were announced this week. Foreign and Israeli airlines must now submit crew information 48 hours before departure. These measures follow a review of security directives for incoming flights to Israel. The series of disruptions prompted national authorities to coordinate closely to manage the risks posed by the unverified alerts.

Despite the temporary closures and diversions, the coordinated response ensured that all personnel and passengers on the four targeted flights arrived safely. The incidents have prompted a tightening of protocols across European aviation networks as authorities continue to monitor incoming flights.