5, 2026, after a flight from Dublin to Rome was diverted to France amid reports of bomb threats targeting multiple flights across Europe. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) An aircraft takes off at Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Fiumicino, near Rome, Thursday, Nov.
An Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Rome carrying more than 150 passengers was diverted to France on Friday after air traffic control alerted its crew to a bomb threat reportedly targeting the aircraft. The warning was relayed to the pilots while the plane was flying over Paris, prompting an immediate change of course and an emergency diversion.
How bomb threat was relayed to the crew
The crew received the warning while the flight was in the air, prompting them to notify authorities and alter their route. The use of fighter jets during such diversions is also part of the emergency response. They establish communication with the pilots, monitor the aircraft’s movements and guide it towards designated airspace for landing. They also help steer the aircraft away from populated areas. Aircraft landing in Bulgaria and Italy also faced bomb threats and were escorted by fighter jets.
The Aer Lingus incident was among several disruptions reported across Europe on Friday.