Ryanair and other airlines face hoax bomb threats affecting at least 34 flights

Disruption overview

Ryanair, Aer Lingus, Wizz Air, easyJet, LOT Polish Airlines, and Scandinavian Airlines were affected by hoax bomb threats that disrupted at least 34 flights across 16 European nations over several days. Passengers faced diversions, military jet escorts, evacuations, and security searches, with incidents involving Rome Fiumicino Airport, Sofia Airport, Plovdiv Airport, Évreux air base, and Murcia Regional Airport. Every aircraft landed safely, no injuries were reported, and searches found no explosives or suspicious materials. Compensation generally isn't owed for these security-related disruptions, but if your journey was affected, you may still have rights to rebooking, a refund, and care while you wait.

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Disruption details

A coordinated wave of hoax bomb threats disrupted at least 34 flights across 16 European nations over several days, affecting Ryanair, Aer Lingus, Wizz Air, easyJet, LOT Polish Airlines, and Scandinavian Airlines. The threats triggered emergency diversions, military jet escorts, runway closures, and aircraft searches.

For passengers, this meant unexpected landings, evacuations, and long waits while security teams checked aircraft and baggage. All aircraft landed safely, and no injuries were reported. Searches found no explosive devices, suspicious materials, or contraband.

Ryanair experienced the greatest disruption. A flight from Dublin to Rome Fiumicino Airport was intercepted by 2 Italian Eurofighter Typhoons. Another Ryanair service, arriving from Lisbon, was isolated at Fiumicino while bomb-disposal specialists and canine teams carried out searches.

In Bulgaria, military jets escorted 3 Ryanair flights departing from London Stansted Airport, Madrid, and Copenhagen. The Madrid and Copenhagen services landed at Sofia Airport, while the London Stansted flight was diverted to Plovdiv Airport.

French fighter jets also intercepted an Aer Lingus flight traveling from Dublin to Rome. Instead of continuing to its destination, the aircraft was directed to land at Évreux air base in Normandy, France.

In Spain, a Ryanair flight from Manchester was quarantined at Murcia Regional Airport. A total of 121 passengers and crew were evacuated and went through security processing. In Warsaw, disruptions involving LOT Polish Airlines and Scandinavian Airlines included diversions and runway closures.

The warnings claimed that aircraft would explode within 1 hour. They arrived mainly through automated, anonymous emails sent to airport contact centers, police switchboards, flight operations centers, and air navigation dispatchers.

Security teams treated the threats as credible until they could physically check the aircraft. That meant activating counterterrorism and airport security procedures even though the warnings ultimately proved to be hoaxes.

Several messages referred to an extremist group calling itself Male State. Authorities haven't verified that connection. Investigators are examining whether the campaign involved malicious false alerts intended to trigger emergency responses, or a deliberate effort to strain military response systems and cause financial disruption.

Eurocontrol and national civil aviation authorities have set up emergency working groups to review how threats are screened and how intelligence is shared. The investigation is taking place alongside efforts to address the wider operational impact of the alerts.

The disruption extended beyond the aircraft receiving threats. Sudden diversions and baggage searches caused knock-on delays, while some crews reached the limits of their permitted working hours. Those problems also led to costly flight cancellations.

If your flight was affected, compensation under EC 261 or UK 261 generally isn't owed because these security threats were outside the airline's control. Although compensation is unlikely, that doesn't remove your right to support during a disrupted journey.

If your flight is canceled, your airline must offer an alternative flight or a refund if you choose not to travel. Depending on your wait and circumstances, care can include food, refreshments, and overnight accommodation with transportation. Ask your airline what assistance it can arrange for you.

Your exact rights depend on your flight and the circumstances of the disruption. If you're unsure whether compensation could apply to your journey, AirHelp's free flight checker can help you check your eligibility.

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Information on this page is AI generated, but always checked by a (human) passenger right expert.