Sporadic bomb threats continued to disrupt multiple flights across Europe on Friday, capping a week of unusual alerts that have put the aviation industry on guard and raised alarm with authorities.
Flights operated by Ryanair Holdings Plc, Wizz Air Holdings Plc and Romania’s Tarom received alerts about bomb threats on Friday, according to airlines and authorities. Wizz’s flight from Prague to Rome was diverted to Vienna as a result, a spokesman said.
In France, there were four bomb threats on aircraft crossing the country’s airspace, the Prime Minister’s office said. Several aircraft departing from and arriving at Prague Airport received alerts about an explosive onboard, Czech police said.
No one has claimed responsibility for the threats, which started on Tuesday and then picked up momentum on Thursday, with more than a dozen aircraft targeted across the region. No explosives were found, but the sudden surge comes as repeat drone incursions and hacking attacks have risen in Europe.
There’s little carriers can do, said IAG SA Chief Executive Officer Luis Gallego, even when the hoaxes turn out to be the acts of copycats. All it requires is one email or phone call, and the plans of hundreds of travelers are disrupted, fighter jets are dispatched and police swarm aircraft with sniffer dogs.
“We cannot do anything else than to follow the strict procedures that we have,” Gallego told journalists on a call after third-quarter results. “We always want to be prudent with all these issues.”
Ignoring threats is not an option either, as an Aer Lingus pilot found on Thursday when he didn’t immediately respond to a government request to land after a bomb call. The French military sent up fighters to escort the plane, according to the Prime Minister’s office, and authorities are investigating.
Read more: European Airlines Face Second Wave of Aircraft Bomb Threats
“To have this in a coordinated way, I don’t think we’ve seen this before,” Ben Smith, the CEO of Air France-KLM, said Thursday on a media call. “It’s unfortunate and we hope it won’t give our consumers any reason to slow down or reduce their travel plan.”
Ryanair Holdings Plc, Finnair Oyj, EasyJet Plc and LOT Polish Airlines were among the airlines that received threats to their flights, showing that a range of low-cost to legacy carriers were targeted.
Bomb threats are rare and almost always end up being false, which demonstrates how the robust security standards are in the sector. Authorities around the continent are investigating the origin and circumstances of the warnings made this week.
In the case of threats made to some Wizz flights this week, the authorities were first notified about the threats and then alerted the airline, which followed protocol, a spokesman said.
“Passengers should be assured that aviation security measures will continue to ensure the highest levels of public safety,” said Nick Careen, senior vice president for operations, safety and security at the International Air Transport Association.
Photograph: Passengers disembark from a diverted Dublin to Rome Aer Lingus flight, at Evreux-Fauville Air Base in France, on Nov. 5, 2026; photo credit: Guillaume Saligot/AFP/Getty Images
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