This week, multiple airlines across Europe have received bomb threats, triggering diversions, extensive security checks, and airport disruptions. According to Al Jazeera, authorities intervened and confirmed that the threats were just hoaxes, as they evaluated the situation, found no explosives on board, and reported no injuries.
Following Thursday’s threat, UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander reacted to the chain of incidents that caused distress and called them “malicious hoax threats.” Airlines such as Ryanair, Aer Lingus, Finnair, and Wizz Air were affected. Travelers faced disruptions as their travel arrangements changed and flights were delayed. According to the BBC, in a statement, Alexander said,
“We do have some of the most robust aviation security systems of anywhere in the world, and we have established processes for dealing with hoax and malicious threats, and that’s what these threats have been. The Met Aviation Security Command will be making sure that they liaise with all the relevant authorities, and we do take these threats seriously. But we understand that these have been malicious hoax threats.”
Major security steps were taken
A Ryanair flight from Lisbon landed normally at Rome Fiumicino Airport. A LOT Polish Airlines flight from Heathrow Airport to Warsaw was redirected to Modlin Airport; other affected flights were also checked, per The Guardian.
Speaking to the BBC, the aviation security expert Philip Baum talked about the incident, saying that while airlines receive multiple bomb threats every day, the recent threats felt “different.”
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Fighter Jets escort flights as bomb threats trigger airport security checks
In another incident, a Ryanair flight heading from Dublin to Rome was escorted to Fiumicino Airport with help from the Italian Air Force.
After security personnel received an email claiming there was a bomb on a Ryanair flight, the Ryanair flight from Lisbon landed at Rome Fiumicino Airport. The bomb squad arrived quickly and ran a security check that included passengers, crew, and baggage, but found nothing.
That being said, investigations are underway as repeated threats have caused concerns about flight disruptions and aviation security across Europe. Share your thoughts on the threats different airlines across Europe have received in the comment section below; stay tuned to Travel to Recovery for more content.
ALSO READ – Bomb threat hoaxes prompt flight diversions and Italian Air Force escort in Europe
