At least 27 flights across Europe were disrupted on Thursday by a series of hoax bomb threats. The incidents affected travel between Ireland, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Finland, Austria, Denmark, Belgium, Portugal, France, Greece, Serbia, and Czechia.
While the threats caused significant operational delays and emergency diversions, no suspicious items were discovered during aircraft searches. The Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association (IALPA) noted that such events place significant additional pressure on cockpit crews who must manage high-stakes security protocols alongside standard flight operations.
Aer Lingus and Ryanair flights among those targeted
The disruption hit multiple carriers, including Ryanair, Aer Lingus, Wizz Air, Finnair, easyJet, Aegean Airlines, Iberia, Sky Express, Air Serbia, and LOT. An Aer Lingus flight traveling from Dublin to Rome was diverted to the Évreux-Fauville airbase in Normandy, France, as a security precaution. Passenger Katie McAteer described the experience as “terrifying,” noting that she saw a fighter pilot flying right beside the aircraft. The French prime minister’s office confirmed that all 151 passengers and six crew members were brought to safety.
Separately, a Ryanair flight from London Stansted to Cork was subjected to an inspection after Cork Airport received an anonymous bomb threat at 6 a.m. Gardaí met the aircraft upon its arrival before 8 a.m., evacuated the passengers, and cleared the plane, later confirming the alert was a hoax. A different Ryanair flight, traveling from Pescara to Brussels-Charleroi, was also inspected after the word “bomb” was found written in a restroom.
Investigation into hybrid warfare patterns
European officials are currently investigating whether these threats are part of a coordinated campaign of “hybrid attacks.” While no government has officially attributed the hoaxes to a specific state actor, EU officials have recently expressed concerns regarding sabotage efforts by Russia and Iran.
Eric Schouten, head of the aviation security group Dyami, said the incidents align with scenarios of hybrid warfare, where infrastructure—ranging from railways to supermarkets—is targeted to create widespread disruption. Italian defence minister Guido Crosetto described the phenomenon as “under-threshold warfare.”
Security measures ahead of high-level summits
The surge in threats comes as Ireland prepares to host 55 heads of state next week. Minister for Defence Helen McEntee stated that authorities are working urgently to identify the origin of the threats, emphasizing that “everything” is being done to ensure the security of the upcoming summit.
EU transport commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas condemned the threats as unacceptable but stated it remains too early to confirm a definitive link between the various alerts. Meanwhile, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has urged authorities to identify the origin of the threats.
investigators examine links to male state and passenger safety
Were any passengers injured during these incidents?
All 27 flights affected on Thursday landed safely, and authorities confirmed that no security issues or explosive devices were identified on any of the aircraft.
Are these threats linked to a specific group?
Investigators have not yet established a formal link to any group or state. While some reports noted that emails associated with the threats mentioned the Russian ultranationalist movement “Male State,” the group’s leader has not claimed responsibility, and official inquiries into the source of the messages are ongoing.
How many flights were affected in total this week?
Including the incidents from earlier in the week, at least 33 flights across Europe have been disrupted by malicious bomb alerts.
Earlier coverage: Series of Bomb Threat Hoaxes Disrupt Multiple Flights Across Europe
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