At least 34 European flights were disrupted by bomb threats during the week of November 2-6, 2026, including at least 25 flights affected on Thursday, November 5. The disruptions forced flights to make emergency landings, diversions, or subjected them to extensive aircraft searches across multiple countries.
Airlines and Airports Involved in Disruptions
The airline carriers impacted included Ryanair, Aer Lingus, Wizz Air, Finnair, easyJet, Aegean Airlines, Iberia, Sky Express, Air Serbia, and LOT Polish Airlines. Airports across Italy, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Spain, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Finland, Austria, Denmark, Belgium, Portugal, France, Greece, Serbia, and Czechia received bomb threat warnings. Heathrow and Birmingham airports in the
UK reported multiple bomb threat calls, which after investigations by the Metropolitan Police’s aviation police command, were classified as hoaxes.
A Ryanair flight from London Stansted to Cork was delayed due to an anonymous phone bomb threat, while another Ryanair flight from Pescara in Italy to Brussels-Charleroi was searched after the word “bomb” was found written in its onboard toilet. An Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Rome had to divert to Évreux, France after bomb threat alerts, with its pilot questioned by French authorities for initially refusing to land at a military base.
Nature of the Bomb Threats and Group Involvement
Emails containing bomb threats were sent
to airports in Rome and Sofia signing off as “fighters of the Male State,” a Russian far-right ultranationalist group founded in 2016 by Vladislav Pozdnyakov. The emails read, “We, the fighters of the Male State, will make history with our actions today. Your feminist regime will remember this for ever. The explosion will occur in 60 minutes. Today, your skies will turn red.” No evidence has yet linked these threats directly to hostile state actors or terror groups such as Russia or Iran, though investigations remain ongoing.
Official Responses and Security Assessments
Authorities and aviation bodies condemned the threats and emphasized security vigilance. The International
Air Transport Association’s (Iata) Senior Vice-President for operations, safety and security, Nick Careen, said, “Safety is the number one priority for the industry and we take all threats seriously.” The Metropolitan Police confirmed that after investigating four aircraft threats at Heathrow and Birmingham airports, no security issues were found.
EU Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas stated it was too early to confirm if the incidents were linked but condemned threats against civilians. Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto described the events as “under-threshold warfare,” designed to avoid attribution and stir tensions, linking these incidents to similar disruptions like cyber-attacks on supermarket refrigeration
systems earlier in the week.
Passenger Impact and Flight Delays
The bomb threat disruptions caused flight delays, diversions, and ground searches, affecting hundreds of passengers on routes such as London Stansted to Cork and Dublin to Rome. Despite the interruptions, these represent a fraction of the 27,400 flights scheduled across Europe on Thursday, November 5. The coordinated nature of the threats prompted extensive operational responses but limited long-term cancellations or widespread grounding.
Investigation Status and Security Context
Ongoing inquiries have not identified definitive suspects or connections to international terrorism or hostile state sponsorship. The Male State group’s involvement is suggested only by emailed claims but lacks formal confirmation. Aviation analysts
like Rhys Jones of Osprey Flight Solutions characterize the campaign as “reasonably chaotic” with no regional focus, reflecting a broader, coordinated attempt to disrupt European air traffic rather than targeted attacks.
Experts warn the availability of detailed flight schedules and aircraft data online facilitates such hoaxes. Pilots follow established procedures to evaluate and respond to threats, balancing safety with operational continuity. Continued vigilance remains critical to prevent escalation and reduce passenger disruption.
