Heathrow Airport hit by hoax bomb threats, dozens of flights diverted

Heathrow Airport was targeted in a wave of bomb threats that triggered flight diversions across Europe. The threats were assessed as not credible, and operations at the airport continued without disruption. At least a dozen flights were affected by bomb threats, including services from Copenhagen, Helsinki, Madrid, Milan, and Warsaw, according to reports.

Birmingham Airport also received bomb threats on Thursday that were assessed as not credible, with operations continuing as normal. A spokesperson for Birmingham Airport stated,

"The safety and security of customers and colleagues is always our highest priority. In line with UK aviation security standards, processes were immediately initiated in conjunction with emergency services and partners."

Media additions

As 20 European flights get bomb threats in a day, expert says scale of hoaxes suggests

Birmingham Airport spokesperson, via The Ledbury Reporter and other outlets

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander addressed the disruption, stating,

"We do have some of the most robust aviation security systems anywhere in the world and we have established processes for dealing with hoax and malicious threats, and that's what these threats have been. But we understand that these have been malicious hoax threats."

Heidi Alexander, Transport Secretary, via Yahoo News and other outlets

A UK Government spokesperson similarly emphasized the nation's security measures, stating,

"It's right that authorities treat any potential threats seriously – the UK has one of the most robust aviation security systems in the world, with well-tested processes for dealing with any threats, as well as malicious hoaxes, like those we've seen this week."

UK Government spokesperson, via Yahoo News and other outlets

The disruptions extended widely across European airspace. In Ireland, Aer Lingus confirmed that flight EI402 from Dublin to Rome was diverted to Normandy, France, as a security precaution. According to the Associated Press, after French authorities ordered the plane to land, the pilot apparently refused, prompting two warplanes to escort the aircraft to the Evreux air base. A French regional prosecutor stated that the pilot and the English co-pilot were questioned as part of an investigation. The French prime minister's office reported that the Airbus A320 landed safely, and the 151 passengers and six crew members were brought to safety and the bomb disposal teams intervened.

Other carriers reported security incidents. EasyJet stated that flights from Newcastle and Glasgow were met by police on arrival in Prague as a precautionary measure over a security-related matter, with passengers disembarking normally. Ryanair services were also affected; a flight from London Stansted to Sofia was diverted and landed safely in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, while other Ryanair flights landed safely in Bulgaria as well. Finnish airline Finnair confirmed that two of its flights from Helsinki—one bound for Rome and another to Vienna—faced unfounded or hoax bomb threats on Thursday. Both aircraft landed safely. In Rome, the Finnair plane was inspected and nothing unusual was found, while checks on the Vienna aircraft continued. Finnair noted there were 144 passengers and seven crew on the Rome flight and 177 passengers and six crew on the Vienna flight. Wizz Air reported that two of its flights from Milan were targeted, with one flight to Bucharest landing safely and a Warsaw-bound service diverted to Vienna, where it landed without incident.

International attention mounted as the European Union activated its aviation-security information-sharing mechanism. Reuters reported that at least 27 flights across Europe were affected on Thursday.

Security experts and officials have raised concerns about the broader context of the disruptions. David Kaminski-Morrow, Air Transport Editor with FlightGlobal, noted that we currently live in a time of political aggression in regions including Europe, and it's a pretty effective tactic if someone is looking to cause disruption. Air transport security expert Paul Mason told the BBC that the incidents appeared to be a very deliberate act by a typical actor rather than a load of coincidental, malicious calls. The incidents occurred during a week that also saw cyberattacks targeting European supermarket refrigeration systems and French blood banks. Furthermore, officials noted that the threats followed warnings from the head of Britain's domestic spy agency MI5, Sir Ken McCallum, regarding evolving hybrid warfare tactics by state actors such as Russia and Iran.

Passengers affected by the cancellations and diversions face financial uncertainty. The UK Civil Aviation Authority stated that bomb hoaxes would likely be classified as extraordinary circumstances, meaning passengers are unlikely to receive compensation.

What to Watch Next

• Ongoing national investigations and coordination through the European Union's aviation-security information-sharing mechanism.
• Further updates from transport authorities regarding potential links to state-sponsored hybrid campaigns or sabotage operations.
• Decisions and updates from airlines concerning passenger re-accommodation and care during the disruptions.