Wave of Anonymous Bomb Threats Disrupts at Least 15 European Flights

A widespread wave of anonymous bomb threats swept across European airspace on Thursday, forcing emergency diversions, fighter jet escorts, and extensive tarmac security sweeps at several major hubs.

While authorities said that the threats are unfounded hoaxes with no explosives located, the incidents did have an impact on a number of European flights on Thursday, including:

• Aer Lingus: Flight EI402, operating from Dublin to Rome, diverted to a French military air base near Paris following a threat received mid-flight. All 151 passengers and six crew members were evacuated while bomb squads inspected the aircraft.
• Finnair: Flights from Helsinki to Rome and Vienna were targeted. The Rome flight was escorted into Fiumicino Airport by Italian Air Force jets, while the Vienna flight landed safely before undergoing security clearance.
• LOT Polish Airlines: Two aircraft departing Warsaw for Brussels and Paris were subjected to midair alerts and subsequent tarmac screening, with passengers experiencing significant delays.
• Ryanair & Wizz Air: Multiple flights heading toward Sofia, Bulgaria, and Prague faced security interventions, including a Ryanair flight from London Stansted that diverted to Plovdiv.

Italian news agency ANSA reported that the initial warnings targeting flights bound for Rome (including the Dublin-Rome Aer Lingus and Helsinki-Rome Finnair flights) originated from an anonymous email written in Italian sent to Rome’s airport management company (ADR) early Thursday morning.

Impacted airlines are mostly back on track and working to rebook passengers, too. Aer Lingus, for instance, said that the diversion was a “security precaution” and confirmed they are working to reaccommodate customers to their final destination as soon as possible.

According to FlightAware, the threats haven’t caused much of a knock-on effect for flights in Europe, as schedules remain mostly on-time as of 8 a.m. EST on Thursday.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told CNBC on Thursday morning that the department was working with European partners to make sure airspace is safe for passengers.