27 European Flights Disrupted by Second Wave of Hoax Bomb Threats

At least 27 flights across Europe were affected by a new wave of bomb threats on Thursday, according to Reuters. The incidents forced some aircraft to land unexpectedly and required others to be escorted by fighter jets. Airlines and officials characterized the threats as hoaxes, noting that this is the second such disruption in one week.

The disruption followed a similar event two days prior, when seven passenger planes, including two departing from the United Kingdom, were targeted by what the U.K. government described as malicious hoax threats. On Thursday, the threats targeted services connected to London, Dublin, and Helsinki. Aer Lingus, Finnair, Wizz Air, and Polish airline LOT confirmed that their flights were caught up in the incidents.

Finnair reported that two of its flights received what the airline called unfounded or hoax bomb threats. A Helsinki to Rome service carrying 144 passengers and seven crew members, and a Helsinki to Vienna flight with 177 passengers and six crew members, were affected. Both aircraft landed safely, and local authorities in Rome and Vienna inspected the planes without finding anything out of the ordinary. Finnair stated that threats are almost always unfounded.

Hungarian budget carrier Wizz Air identified two affected flights. A plane from Milan's Malpensa Airport to Bucharest's Otopeni Airport landed safely after a threat was reported upon its approach, and security checks cleared the aircraft. A second flight to Warsaw was diverted. Wizz Air noted that other carriers also experienced threats resulting in diversions and security checks.

Irish airline Aer Lingus diverted its Dublin to Rome flight to Normandy on Thursday morning. Polish airline LOT said two of its flights from Warsaw received security threats, and both were cleared following inspections. Air France chief executive Ben Smith said none of his airline's flights were affected, but described the coordinated threats as unprecedented. He expressed hope that consumers would not reduce their travel plans.

U.S. Transport Secretary Sean Duffy told CNBC's Squawk Box that the incidents appeared to be false attacks. He said the United States was working with European partners to track the situation, emphasizing that the U.S. shuts down airspace if any issue or threat is seen. Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the European Union's commissioner for sustainable transport and tourism, posted on X that it is too early to draw conclusions on whether the incidents are linked. He added that the EU-level information-sharing mechanism for aviation security has been activated.

The next scheduled steps involve ongoing security inspections at affected airports and continued coordination between European aviation authorities and their U.S. counterparts. Airlines are monitoring incoming flights for further threats while passengers disembark from diverted aircraft. The EU information-sharing mechanism remains active as officials review the data from Thursday's disruptions.