At least 12 commercial flights across Europe were targeted by bomb threats on Thursday, November 5, 2026, prompting fighter jet escorts, emergency security checks and flight diversions as aviation authorities in several countries responded to a fresh wave of alerts.
The incidents involved airlines including Ryanair, Finnair, Wizz Air, Aer Lingus and LOT Polish Airlines, with flights operating routes across Bulgaria, France, Italy, the Czech Republic, Austria, Romania and other European destinations.
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The latest alerts marked the third consecutive day of reported bomb threats against European flights, raising concerns about a pattern of coordinated disruption targeting commercial aviation.
Although initial reports put the number of affected flights at 12, the Agence France-Presse (AFP) later reported that at least 14 flights had received hoax alerts.
Reuters subsequently reported that at least 25 passenger flights were affected, suggesting the overall figure increased as more incidents were identified.
Among the most significant incidents was an Aer Lingus flight travelling from Dublin, Ireland, to Rome, Italy, which was diverted to the Évreux military airbase in France after a bomb threat was received.
French authorities confirmed that the aircraft landed safely, while the airline said it would work to help passengers continue their journeys to their intended destination.
The flight was escorted by French military aircraft as part of the security response. The French Prime Minister’s office also said it was monitoring the situation.
In another incident, an Italian Air Force fighter jet escorted a Finnair aircraft travelling from Helsinki, Finland, to Rome.
The plane landed safely at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport, where bomb disposal experts conducted security checks.
Finnair spokesperson Stiina Tuunanen confirmed that nothing unusual was discovered after the aircraft landed.
She said the airline had established procedures for responding to such incidents and worked closely with local authorities to protect passengers and crew.
Bulgaria also deployed fighter jets after three Ryanair flights bound for Sofia from Madrid, Copenhagen and London Stansted received bomb threats.
Two of the aircraft landed safely in Sofia, while the London Stansted flight was diverted to Plovdiv Airport.
Bulgarian authorities said all three aircraft were escorted by fighter jets and subsequently inspected. No explosives were found.
A Wizz Air flight travelling from Milan to Warsaw was diverted to Vienna following a threat, while another aircraft operating from Milan to Bucharest landed safely at its destination.
The airline said the diversion was carried out in accordance with established safety procedures.
Meanwhile, four flights bound for Prague were reportedly targeted by threats, prompting security measures at the Czech airport.
Police said they considered the credibility of the threats to be low but were taking all necessary precautions.
Two aircraft arriving in Copenhagen were also reportedly affected. Local police said their assessment indicated there had been no danger to passengers or other people at the airport.
The latest incidents have added to a series of similar disruptions reported earlier in the week.
On Tuesday, October 3, 2026, at least 10 flights were reportedly targeted by bomb threats, with airport operations disrupted in Warsaw and security checks carried out elsewhere.
Earlier, a Wizz Air flight travelling from London’s Luton Airport to Sofia was diverted to Budapest after receiving a threat.
However, the date reported for the Tuesday incidents should be checked against the original publication timeline, as the wider series was described as beginning earlier in the same week.
The origin and motive behind the latest threats remained unknown at the time of reporting. No European government had publicly identified those responsible.
The incidents have nevertheless drawn attention against the backdrop of growing concern about hybrid attacks across Europe, a broad term covering disruptive activities such as cyberattacks, sabotage, espionage and interference with critical infrastructure.
France’s Secretary-General for Defence and National Security, Nicolas Roche, had previously warned lawmakers about the increasing range of such activities across the continent.
European officials have at times linked suspected hybrid operations to Russia and Iran, although no evidence presented in the reports established that either country was responsible for the aviation threats.
Both countries have rejected allegations of involvement in broader campaigns of this nature.
Despite the disruption, the aircraft involved in the reported incidents landed safely, and initial inspections did not uncover explosives.
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The repeated alerts have, however, placed additional pressure on airlines, airports and security agencies, highlighting the operational and financial consequences of threats that can trigger fighter jet deployments, emergency landings and passenger delays even when no device is found.
