A Wizz Air passenger flight bound for Sofia, Bulgaria, was forced to make an emergency landing in Budapest on Monday after receiving a mid-air bomb threat.
BUDAPEST — Flight W64302 had taken off from London Luton Airport (LTN) at 08:33 GMT. While cruising over Bosnia-Herzegovina, the cockpit crew received a security threat indicating an explosive device was on board.
In response to the mid-air emergency, NATO’s Air Defense Readiness Service immediately issued an ALPHA alert as the aircraft approached Hungarian airspace. The Hungarian Air Force scrambled quick-reaction Saab JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets from Kecskemét Air Base within minutes to intercept and escort the passenger aircraft.
The aircraft (an Airbus A321neo registered as HA-LGR) was escorted directly to Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport (BUD). It landed safely on Runway 31R at approximately 12:09 PM local time (11:09 AM GMT).
Airport authorities immediately marshaled the aircraft to a isolated, secure remote stand, where emergency response units, police, and specialized counter-terrorism squads took charge of the scene. Passengers were disembarked and taken to a secure area of the terminal while bomb disposal officers conducted a thorough security sweep of the cabin and cargo hold.
Budapest Airport temporarily closed Runway 31R during the tactical response, rerouting incoming and outgoing commercial flights to Runway 31L to minimize broader airspace disruption.
Following extensive inspections of both the airframe and passenger luggage, law enforcement confirmed that no hazardous or suspicious items were discovered on board.
Wizz Air released a statement emphasizing that passenger and crew safety remains its absolute priority and confirmed full cooperation with international law enforcement.
After being cleared by Hungarian authorities, the Airbus A321neo departed Budapest at 16:48 CET to complete its journey to Sofia Airport (SOF). Police investigations into the origin of the false threat remain ongoing.
