Seven passenger flights across Europe were disrupted on November 4, 2026, after multiple bomb threat hoaxes forced security searches, temporary airport runway closures, flight diversions and military escorts. No explosives or suspicious devices were discovered during inspections at airports including Warsaw, Rome, Murcia and Sofia.
Affected Flights and Routes
One of the affected flights was LOT Polish Airlines operating from London Heathrow to Warsaw, which was diverted from Warsaw Chopin Airport to Warsaw Modlin Airport. Modlin Airport temporarily closed before resuming normal operations. Scandinavian Airlines flight SK751 from Copenhagen to Warsaw landed as scheduled at Warsaw Chopin, where one runway was closed temporarily for
security checks.
At Rome Fiumicino Airport, two Ryanair flights arriving from Lisbon at 9:40 a.m. local time and from Dublin at 10:45 a.m. were searched. The Dublin flight was escorted on approach by two Italian Air Force Eurofighter jets following the bomb threat report. Both flights cleared inspections without explosives found.
Ryanair’s Manchester to Murcia flight, carrying 121 people including crew, landed at Murcia Airport at 10:30 a.m. local time. Passengers were evacuated without their belongings for security checks after an on-board threat. Ryanair dispatched a replacement plane from Alicante for the return Murcia to Manchester service, which was delayed
by about three and a half hours as a consequence.
Two flights destined for Sofia – Wizz Air from Bergamo with 176 passengers and Ryanair from Dublin with 186 passengers – were inspected by Bulgarian authorities following emailed bomb threat notifications near 10:35 a.m. local time. No explosives were discovered and both flights reached Sofia Airport without diversion.
Airport and Security Responses
European airports activated heightened security protocols, including runway closures, police deployment, and bomb disposal interventions. Warsaw Modlin Airport spokesman Adam Szablowski confirmed no explosives were found and that operations resumed after the LOT Polish Airlines flight diversion. Scandinavian Airlines spokesperson Alexandra Lindgren
Kaoukji reported that the Copenhagen to Warsaw flight landed normally and was inspected without incident.
The Bulgarian transport minister Georgi Peev verified that bomb threat inspections for the two Sofia-bound flights found no dangerous items. Italian airport operator ADR corroborated that the two Ryanair flights at Rome Fiumicino underwent thorough security searches with no explosives detected, and the airport continued operating normally. British Metropolitan Police confirmed awareness of threats affecting four flights at London Heathrow and one at Manchester, but no security risks were identified after inspections.
Passenger Experiences and Operational Impact
Passengers on the Ryanair Manchester to Murcia flight were not informed of the
bomb threat during the flight. A passenger named Sarah told BBC Radio 5 Live, “We were only later told that it was an actual threat, a bomb threat to the plane itself.” After landing, emergency services evacuated passengers without their belongings for safety procedures.
The evacuation and security measures led to delays and operational adjustments. Ryanair arranged a replacement aircraft from Alicante to operate the Murcia to Manchester return route, with an expected delay of approximately three and a half hours due to extended security checks on the original plane.
Investigations and Broader Aviation Security Context
The British government described the November 4 bomb threats as
malicious hoaxes. Investigations are ongoing to determine whether the multiple threats across European nations were coordinated attempts to disrupt air travel. Authorities have not confirmed any official link between the incidents.
These events followed a separate bomb threat on November 3 against a Wizz Air flight from London Luton to Sofia, which was diverted to Budapest under Hungarian Gripen fighter jet escort. The Hungarian Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi confirmed that the threat was false. Aviation experts note that, despite the scale of these disruptions, such threats are typically resolved as hoaxes after comprehensive security protocols are carried out, as explained
by former airline pilot Marco Chan: a bomb threat is considered “genuine until it is resolved, even though most turn out to be hoaxes.”
