The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
'Too early' to say if Europe flight bomb threats linked, EU says
The incidents come after some 10 European flights were targeted by bomb threats on Tuesday, forcing the brief closure of a Warsaw airport and the scrambling of air force planes in Rome. #EuropeNews
EU says it is not yet clear whether the European flight bomb threats are connected and is monitoring advances with national authorities. Transport commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas posted on X that it is too early to draw conclusions about links between the incidents.
The threats affected multiple European flights, including those operated by Ryanair, Finnair, Aer Lingus, Wizz Air, and EasyJet, with at least 14 flights targeted for the third day of the week. Several flights were diverted or escorted by military aircraft, and no explosives were found on inspected aircraft.
Threats were reported against flights to or from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, and Italy, with several low-cost carriers involved. Bulgarian, Italian, and French air forces escorted the affected planes and accompanied them to safe landings or bases.
Specific responses included an Italian air force escort for a Helsinki-to-Rome Finnair flight, French fighters guiding an Aer Lingus Dublin-to-Rome flight to a military base near Paris, and Bulgaria's air force escorting three planes. Flights were diverted or rerouted as needed, and inspections confirmed no explosives.
Authorities noted that more than 20 hoaxes have been reported this week, with Ryanair hit by at least seven threats. Security measures were activated across airports and airlines, while the origin and motives of the threats remained unknown.