Bomb threats disrupt European flights, including Prague–Bucharest route

Flights across Europe faced a fresh wave of bomb threats on Friday 6 November 2026, forcing diversions, fighter jet escorts and security inspections that reached routes to and from Romania. No suspicious items were found and no one was injured, but the alerts added to a week of disruption for air travellers.

Key facts

• EU transport commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas said 11 more threats were reported on Friday, after 14 on Thursday and seven on Tuesday.
• Thursday's 14 alerts amounted to 0.05% of the nearly 26,300 flights in the European network that day, Eurocontrol said.
• Affected routes included Prague–Bucharest, Prague–Cyprus, Prague–Rome, Lisbon–Rome and Brussels–Sofia.
• Nine of the affected flights used Václav Havel Airport in Prague.
• Three broadcasters — in Ireland, the UK and Bulgaria — also received security threats.
• Security experts are due to meet in Brussels next week to discuss the response.

What happened on 6 November?

Hungary's defence minister, Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi, said fighter jets escorted three passenger planes through Hungarian airspace on Friday, within an hour of each aircraft receiving a bomb threat. The escorts covered flights from Brussels to Sofia and from Prague to Cyprus and Romania.

The office of French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said four bomb threats were made against aircraft flying over France. Those planes landed safely at Paris' Orly Airport, where bomb disposal experts carried out inspections; the affected flights were not identified.

Threats were also reported against a Ryanair service from Lisbon to Rome. A WizzAir flight from Prague to Rome was diverted to Venice after a bomb alert, and passengers were evacuated once the aircraft had landed.

Which Romania flights were affected?

A Prague-to-Bucharest flight operated by Romanian carrier Tarom was among those targeted. A Prague-to-Romania flight was also one of the three aircraft escorted by Hungarian fighter jets.

Prague airport spokesperson Denisa Hejtmánková said nine affected flights arrived at or departed from Václav Havel Airport, with links to Denmark, Spain, Britain, the Netherlands, Cyprus, Italy and Romania. Czech police said security measures had a minimal impact on normal airport operations.

How much disruption is there?

Eurocontrol said the overall disruption to aviation has been minimal and that it is working with airlines, airports and navigation service providers to limit any impact on air traffic flows. In Denmark, police deployed at Copenhagen airport for a second consecutive day as a precaution over threats directed at air traffic, and found no danger to passengers or staff.

Robert Jordan, research director at Britain's Royal United Services Institute, said airlines must respond to every threat because they are responsible for passengers' lives. "The risk appetite for airlines is always going to be incredibly low," he said, adding that secure messaging apps have made it easier to issue threats anonymously.

Who is behind the threats?

It remains unclear. Authorities have not attributed the threats to any group or state actor, and no evidence has linked the hoaxes to a government. An email sent to airport authorities in Rome on Thursday, reviewed by The Associated Press, purported to come from a group describing itself as anti-feminist and claiming it was targeting a "feminist regime." Another European airport received a threat with similar wording, but it was not clear whether it came from the same sender.

Broadcasters were also targeted. Ireland's RTÉ evacuated its Dublin headquarters on Friday and replaced live broadcasts with prerecorded programmes before staff returned after police searches. UK-based Sky said it had received a security threat but stayed on air, and Bulgaria's NOVA TV said it received a bomb threat email while continuing normal broadcasts.

What this means for travellers

Travellers flying to, from or within Europe — including routes to Bucharest — should check their flight's status with the airline before departure, as alerts can lead to diversions, escorts and post-landing inspections. Pilots review diversion procedures with cabin crews, identify alternative airports and may carry extra fuel, according to Paul Reuter of the European Cockpit Association.

Security experts are scheduled to meet in Brussels next week to discuss measures to deal with the wave of threats. Dublin will also host meetings of the European Political Community and EU leaders next week, with what Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin described as a very significant security operation in place.