Austrian Airlines jet diverts under fighter escort after bomb threat

An Austrian Airlines flight from Tel Aviv to Vienna diverted to Sofia, Bulgaria, under Bulgarian fighter escort on October 18, 2026, after a bomb threat.

A search found no danger, and the Airbus A320 later continued to Vienna with all passengers aboard. Flight OS82 was carrying 51 passengers and six crew members, the airline said.

Bulgaria’s Transport Ministry said the crew reported the threat near the Romanian border and decided to divert to Sofia. Passengers left the aircraft after landing while authorities carried out security checks.

The Bulgarian Defense Ministry said MiG-29 fighters were scrambled as part of its air policing mission. The response was coordinated with NATO’s Combined Air Operations Center in Torrejón, Spain.

Austrian Airlines confirmed on October 19 that checks of the aircraft, passengers and crew had found no danger.

The airline had initially said passengers would be rebooked onto alternative flights once the inspection was complete.

Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said the threat had been made by telephone to Vienna Airport. Speaking at a press conference with his Bulgarian counterpart, he confirmed that an investigation was underway but declined to provide further details, Reuters reported.

Flight tracking data identified the aircraft as OE-LZE, an Airbus A320-200.

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