Wizz Air flight from London makes emergency landing after bomb threat

A Wizz Air flight en route from London to Sofia was forced to make an emergency landing in Budapest after a bomb threat was received mid-air. The Airbus A321neo, which had departed London Luton Airport shortly after 8:30am, was escorted by a Hungarian Gripen fighter jet to Ferenc Liszt International Airport, according to the BBC ^[3]. The aircraft, which was scheduled to land in Bulgaria’s capital at 1:25pm local time, instead touched down in Hungary just after midday.

The incident triggered an ALPHA alert from NATO’s air defence readiness service. The Daily Mail reported ^[2] that the Hungarian Defence Forces scrambled a Gripen jet within minutes to ensure the passenger aircraft landed safely. The plane, identified as flight 4302, had been flying over Bosnia and Herzegovina when it changed course towards Budapest. The Mirror noted ^[1] that the jet escorted the flight through Hungarian airspace before returning to its base in Kecskemét.

Upon landing at 12:08pm local time, the aircraft was parked at bay B5, where firefighters, police and counter-terrorism officers were on standby. Hungarian outlet Index, cited by the Mirror ^[1], reported that runway two was closed while authorities conducted a thorough security inspection. All other flights were redirected to the airport’s remaining runway.

Wizz Air confirmed that the diversion was due to a bomb threat received during the flight. A spokesperson stated that the airline was fully cooperating with authorities and that passenger safety remained the top priority. According to the BBC ^[3], the security inspection was subsequently completed with nothing found, allowing the plane to prepare for departure again shortly after.

Hungarian Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi praised the response, stating that the air defence readiness service had "once again proven itself in a critical situation." He confirmed that police took charge of the incident after the fighter jet returned to base. The Independent ^[4] noted that the minister emphasised that readiness is not routine but a responsibility, ensuring Hungary’s airspace security. The incident highlights the rigorous protocols in place for aviation security across Europe, with authorities acting swiftly to eliminate potential risks.