Flights from London Stansted and Dublin disrupted by latest bomb threat alerts

A Ryanair flight from London Stansted and an Aer Lingus service from Dublin were among at least 14 passenger aircraft affected by a fresh wave of bomb threats across Europe today (5 November).

The alerts prompted diversions, emergency security procedures and military escorts in several countries, with airlines including Ryanair, Aer Lingus, Wizz Air, Finnair and LOT Polish Airlines impacted.

Bomb threats affected 14 flights

The Aer Lingus Airbus A320 operating flight EI402 from Dublin to Rome was diverted to Évreux military airbase in France after a bomb threat was received. French fighter aircraft escorted the jet before it landed safely. All 151 passengers and six crew members were reported safe while bomb disposal teams examined the aircraft.

Meanwhile, Ryanair flight FR1730 from London Stansted to Sofia was diverted to Plovdiv Airport in Bulgaria following a security alert. Two other Ryanair services bound for Sofia, from Madrid and Copenhagen, were also affected.

Elsewhere, a Finnair flight from Helsinki to Rome was escorted by Italian military aircraft before landing safely at its destination. The airline later confirmed that the threat, along with another involving a Helsinki to Vienna flight, was believed to be a hoax.

Wizz Air and LOT Polish Airlines were also caught up in the disruption. A Wizz Air flight travelling from Milan to Warsaw diverted to Vienna, while a separate service from Milan to Bucharest landed safely in Romania, where passengers were evacuated and security checks carried out. A LOT Polish Airlines aircraft also landed in Brussels following a bomb alert.

In an interview with Sky News, former Air Traffic Controller Michele Robson said: “In my entire career I never saw anything like this.

“The fact a number of aircraft have been grounded during the reports means these threats do have a lot of credibility.”

Latest wave of threats against airlines

The latest incidents follow a series of similar threats earlier this week, which disrupted at least seven flights across Europe, including services departing from London Heathrow and Manchester.

A LOT Boeing 737 MAX travelling from Heathrow to Warsaw was diverted, while a Ryanair flight from Manchester to Murcia was met by emergency services after receiving a threat.

Authorities later confirmed no explosive devices were found in connection with Tuesday’s alerts.

Investigators have not yet established whether Thursday’s incidents are connected to the earlier threats or identified those responsible.

This is a developing story.