Bomb threats disrupted flights across Europe on 3 November 2026, prompting security responses at airports in Poland, Spain and Bulgaria. BBC reported that at least seven flights received threats that day, with one additional threat recorded on the Monday before.
No explosives were found at any of the airports involved.
A LOT Flight Diverted to Warsaw Modlin
One of the most disruptive incidents involved a LOT Polish Airlines service from London Heathrow. Agence France Presse reported, as carried by Air Cargo Week, that the flight diverted to Warsaw Modlin Airport rather than its scheduled destination of Warsaw Chopin Airport, landing at around 09:00 GMT.
Agence France Presse reported that two aircraft were inspected at Warsaw airport following bomb threats. Adam Szablowski, a spokesman for Modlin Airport, told Air Cargo Week: "Passengers evacuated and the plane underwent security checks. No explosives were found. The airport reopened and is operating normally."
Spain and Bulgaria Also Affected
In Spain, Agence France Presse reported that a flight from Manchester that landed at Murcia's Región de Murcia International Airport was inspected and subsequently cleared. Francisco Lucas, Spain's Government delegate for the Region of Murcia, confirmed the response: "Security protocols were activated due to a bomb threat on a flight from Manchester that landed in Murcia."
Lucas added that "the Guardia Civil has ruled out the presence of explosives on the plane from Manchester following its inspection. The International Airport of the Region of Murcia will resume its activity normally."
In Bulgaria, BBC reported that Bulgarian transport minister Georgi Peev confirmed bomb threats against two flights heading to Sofia. BBC reported that one of those Sofia-bound flights originated from Bergamo, Italy. A plane that landed in Sofia received a threat and was inspected; no explosives were found, according to BBC and Air Cargo Week.
The Scale of the Bomb Threats
The coordination or coincidence of threats across three countries on a single day placed significant strain on airport security teams. Our Squawk 7700 hub at Squawk 7700 tracks live emergencies and incident archives for coverage of events like these. For context on the wider pressures European aviation faces, our earlier piece on why flights get cancelled and why it is getting worse in Europe sets out some of the structural strains on the network.
You can check the airlines involved using our Airline Search tool.
The Bottom Line
All aircraft were cleared and airports returned to normal operation. No authority has identified a source for the threats. We will update our coverage if any airline or relevant authority releases further information.
This article draws on reporting by BBC and Air Cargo Week.
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