A Wizz Air flight bound for the Bulgarian capital was forced to change course on Monday after the airline received a bomb threat while the aircraft was in the air. The Hungary-based carrier confirmed that the plane, which had departed from London Luton Airport, was diverted to Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport as a precautionary measure.
In a statement shared with Euronews, Wizz Air said the aircraft “diverted and landed safely” in accordance with security protocols, before taxiing to a designated stand where authorities conducted checks on both the plane and its passengers. The airline added that it was cooperating fully with investigators and that “the safety of passengers and crew remains our highest priority.”
Military response and escort
Hungarian Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi said on social media that a Hungarian military Gripen fighter jet had been scrambled to escort the flight back to Budapest. The jet, based at Kecskemét in central Hungary, returned to its base after the situation was handed over to police.
Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 shows the aircraft was flying over Bosnia and Herzegovina when it altered its route towards Hungary, suggesting the threat was received relatively early in the journey.
The incident is the latest in a series of security scares affecting European aviation. While such threats are often hoaxes, they nonetheless trigger costly and disruptive responses, including fighter escorts and full security sweeps. In recent months, similar diversions have occurred on flights across the continent, prompting airlines to review their threat-response procedures.
Wizz Air, which operates a large network of low-cost routes between Western and Central Europe, has not disclosed the number of passengers on board or the nature of the threat. The airline said it would provide further updates as the investigation progresses.
For travellers, the episode serves as a reminder of the strict security measures in place across European airports and airspace. Compensation rules for disrupted flights vary by airline and circumstance, but security-related incidents are generally considered exceptional circumstances, meaning passengers may not be entitled to financial redress.
The diversion also highlights the coordination between national authorities in the EU and the wider European region. Hungary, as the host country, took the lead in securing the aircraft, while the UK and Bulgaria were kept informed throughout the process.
No injuries have been reported, and all passengers were eventually allowed to disembark after the security checks were completed. Wizz Air said it was arranging onward travel for those affected, though details of alternative flights have not yet been released.
This incident comes amid heightened awareness of security threats across Europe, with governments and airlines on alert. Earlier this year, Poland and the UK signed a defence pact in response to regional tensions, underscoring the broader security environment in which such events unfold.
While the bomb threat was ultimately deemed not to pose an immediate danger, the response demonstrated the seriousness with which European authorities treat any potential threat to civil aviation. The investigation into the source of the threat is ongoing.
