Rome airport hit as European bomb-threat wave tests aviation security

An Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Rome was diverted to a French military airbase on Thursday after a bomb threat, joining at least 25 other European flights targeted by false security alerts over the past week. According to Deutsche Welle and The New York Times, planes bound for Rome, Warsaw, Sofia and Madrid were among those affected, with threats claiming to come from a far-right Russian group. No explosives were found on any aircraft. The scale and timing of the hoaxes have prompted European authorities to investigate whether the threats are part of a coordinated campaign.

Rome's Fiumicino and Ciampino airports were among the primary targets, according to multiple foreign outlets including France 24 and The Guardian. The disruptions extended beyond the capital: Le Monde reported that by Friday, new threats had been directed at flights to Prague and Sofia, suggesting the wave had not abated. The New York Times quoted passengers describing landings at military bases, security checks and substantial travel delays—consequences felt acutely at southern European hubs that depend on transatlantic and intra-European connectivity.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni characterized the incidents as part of a broader pattern of attacks on civilian infrastructure, according to The Local Italy. The European Union transport commissioner told The Guardian it remained unclear whether all threats were linked. Investigators are examining claims attributed to what foreign outlets describe as a Russian extremist faction, though attribution remains uncertain. The disruptions highlight vulnerabilities in European aviation security protocols and the capacity of hoaxes to paralyze air traffic across the continent.