Gripens over Hungary: Wizz Air London–Sofia flight lands in Budapest after bomb threat

What happened

On Monday, 2 November, a Wizz Air Airbus A321neo operating a London–Sofia flight turned around over Bosnia and Herzegovina and requested to land at Budapest’s Ferenc Liszt International Airport, Daily News Hungary reported, citing Tudásmorzsák.

According to preliminary information, the aircraft landed safely at 12:08 local time on runway 2, where firefighters, police and counter-terrorism units were waiting. The runway was closed and all arrivals and departures were moved to the other runway.

The military response

Hungarian Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi confirmed that the armed forces responded after a bomb threat was reported on the flight. He said NATO’s air defence alert system declared an “ALPHA” alert and Hungarian Gripen fighters were airborne within minutes. They escorted the airliner to Budapest and then returned to their base at Kecskemét; police took over from there.

What is not yet known

Hungarian authorities have not said whether any suspicious items were found on board or whether the threat was deemed genuine. The investigation is ongoing. The number of passengers and the onward plan for the flight have not been officially announced.

Context

Shortly before, a plane flying from Israel to Austria made an emergency landing in Bulgaria over a bomb threat. Hoax bomb threats on flights in Europe occur regularly; each one forces air forces and emergency services into action and disrupts airport schedules.

Why it matters for Ukrainians

Wizz Air is one of the carriers many Ukrainians use to travel around Europe, including via Ukraine’s neighbours. Passengers should follow updates from airlines and airports, as such incidents can cause delays and diversions.