A string of bomb threats disrupted passenger flights across Europe on Tuesday, forcing diversions, emergency security sweeps and at least one temporary airport closure — though no explosive devices were found in any of the searches completed so far.
At least seven flights were affected on 3 November across Poland, Spain, Italy and Bulgaria, according to a Reuters list of the incidents, with airlines including Ryanair, LOT Polish Airlines, SAS and Wizz Air involved. Authorities have not established any connection between the threats, and it is not known whether they form a coordinated campaign.
Warsaw: two flights checked, one airport closed
In Poland, a LOT Polish Airlines flight from London Heathrow to Warsaw Chopin Airport was diverted to Warsaw-Modlin Airport after a bomb threat alert. The Boeing 737 MAX landed at Modlin at 10:01am local time carrying 181 people, and the airport was temporarily closed while the aircraft was checked. Operations resumed around midday.
A separate SAS flight from Copenhagen to Warsaw Chopin Airport was also reported to have received a bomb threat on Tuesday. The aircraft landed at Chopin, was checked by airport services, and Polish authorities said the threat was not confirmed. The airport continued operating, and the aircraft’s passengers disembarked safely.
Rome: two Ryanair flights searched within an hour
In Italy, two Ryanair flights were searched at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport following potential bomb threats, airport operator ADR said. A flight from Lisbon landed at 9:40am CET and a flight from Dublin landed at 10:30am CET, the latter escorted by the Italian Air Force until landing.
Both aircraft went through security protocols including searches of the plane, luggage, passengers and crew. ADR said the alert was cleared, there was no bomb threat to the airport itself, and other flights were not affected.
Murcia and Sofia: searches after landing
In Spain, Murcia’s international airport activated a security protocol after a bomb alert was received on a Ryanair flight from Manchester. All 121 people on board — 114 passengers and seven crew — disembarked and underwent security checks while security forces inspected the aircraft.
In Bulgaria, two flights to Sofia were targeted on Tuesday, according to Bulgaria’s transport ministry. A Ryanair flight from Dublin landed safely with 185 passengers on board, and a Wizz Air flight from Milan/Bergamo landed safely with 176 passengers; no explosive devices were found during either inspection.
Separately, Bulgarian media reported that counterterrorism officers inspected a plane arriving in Sofia from Israel after a threat received by email. That report, carried by Bulgarian National Radio citing Interior Ministry officials, could not be independently confirmed from the Reuters list, and it is not counted separately here to avoid double-counting one of the Sofia arrivals.
Part of a wider pattern — but no link confirmed
The threats follow a similar incident on Monday, when a Wizz Air flight from London to Sofia diverted to Budapest after a bomb threat and was escorted by a Hungarian Gripen fighter jet. An earlier October incident, in which an Austrian Airlines flight from Tel Aviv to Vienna diverted to Sofia, was also resolved with no threat found.
For now, the key facts are what did not happen: no explosive device has been found, no injuries have been reported in Tuesday’s incidents, and no authority has claimed the threats are linked. Investigations into who made the threats — and whether they are connected — are continuing.
Related: Austrian Airlines Flight OS82 Diverts to Sofia After Bomb Threat
What we know — and what we don’t
Confirmed: seven flights searched or diverted on 3 November; airports in Warsaw, Rome, Murcia and Sofia involved; no explosives found in completed searches; Warsaw-Modlin temporarily closed and later reopened.
Not confirmed: any connection between the threats; the identity or motive of whoever made them; whether the reported Sofia email threat concerns a separate aircraft from the two Sofia arrivals already counted.
Sources
- Reuters — Europe-wide bomb threats disrupt air travel (3 Nov 2026)
- The Express Tribune / Anadolu — Bomb threats trigger security alerts at airports across Europe (3 Nov 2026)
- ANews — Bomb threats reported at several European airports (3 Nov 2026)
Frequently asked questions
How many flights were affected by the bomb threats in Europe on 3 November? At least seven flights were searched or diverted across Poland, Spain, Italy and Bulgaria, according to Reuters.
Was any explosive device found? No. No explosive devices were found in the searches completed so far, and no injuries were reported in Tuesday’s incidents.
Are the bomb threats linked? Authorities have not established any connection between the incidents, and it is not known whether they form a coordinated campaign.
