Twenty-five passenger flights operated by European airlines received bomb threats during a single 24-hour period on November 5, prompting emergency diversions and security searches.
Greek daily newspaper Kathimerini reported that anonymous tipsters attempted to intimidate multiple air carriers across the continent. Budget airlines Ryanair and Wizz Air were among the operators targeted alongside Greece's flag carrier, Aegean Airlines.
The false alerts forced several commercial aircraft to alter their flight paths in mid-air, while other planes made precautionary landings to protect passengers and crew. Military personnel and local police officers met the diverted aircraft on the tarmac, conducting comprehensive security sweeps across cabins and cargo holds.
Specialist inspection teams found no bombs or explosive materials aboard any of the aircraft following the searches. Aviation operations resumed after authorities confirmed that every warning delivered during the 24-hour disruption was baseless.
Targeted European airlines
Ryanair, based in Dublin, is Europe's largest budget carrier by passenger volume, operating thousands of routes connecting international hubs and regional gateways. Budapest-based Wizz Air is one of Central and Eastern Europe's primary low-cost airlines, while Athens-based Aegean Airlines serves as the national carrier of Greece and a member of the global Star Alliance network.
Kathimerini is a prominent broadsheet newspaper founded in Athens in 1919 and published daily in Greek alongside an English-language edition. In European aviation, bomb threats trigger immediate security alerts that require pilots to follow strict air traffic control protocols, including landing at the nearest designated emergency airfield for bomb disposal inspections.
Earlier threats to flights and ships
The wave of disruption on November 5 followed a similar string of hoaxes earlier in the week. On Tuesday, November 3, anonymous callers targeted seven flights and one cruise liner with bomb threats, though security investigators quickly concluded that all of those warnings were completely unfounded.
The incidents also came after two major airports in the United Kingdom received anonymous messages threatening explosions. British security services assessed the airport threats and determined that they were not credible, allowing flight operations to continue without prolonged terminal evacuations.
