Birmingham Airport among those targeted by hoax bomb threats as flights diverted across Europe
Threats reported at Heathrow and Birmingham airports were assessed as not credible, it is understood, as several flights across Europe were diverted or forced to land elsewhere.
Birmingham Airport was among transport hubs targeted in a wave of hoax bomb threats that caused flights to be diverted across Europe, it is understood.
Threats reported at Birmingham and Heathrow airports were assessed as not credible, it is understood, and operations at both UK airports were continuing as normal.
At least eight flights were confirmed to have been targeted with bomb threats on Thursday, with services from Copenhagen, Helsinki, Madrid, Milan and Warsaw among those affected.
A spokesperson for Birmingham Airport said: “The safety and security of customers and colleagues is always our highest priority.
“In line with UK aviation security standards, processes were immediately initiated in conjunction with emergency services and partners.”
The incidents came after several planes, including some departing from the UK and Ireland, were subject to hoax security alerts earlier this week.
Among the flights affected on Thursday was a Ryanair service from London Stansted to Sofia, which was diverted and landed safely in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, according to the Associated Press.
A flight from Dublin to Rome was also diverted to an airfield in northern France amid a bomb alert.
Most of the flights were diverted to other airports for emergency landings, while others landed safely at their intended destinations.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she was aware that a “small number of flights” had been disrupted on Thursday.
She added: “We do have some of the most robust aviation security systems anywhere in the world and we have established processes for dealing with hoax and malicious threats, and that’s what these threats have been.”
Ms Alexander said the UK took the threats “seriously”, adding: “But we understand that these have been malicious hoax threats.”
A UK Government spokesperson said threats reported in the “early hours” of Thursday had been “resolved”.
“It’s right that authorities treat any potential threats seriously – the UK has one of the most robust aviation security systems in the world, with well-tested processes for dealing with any threats, as well as malicious hoaxes, like those we’ve seen this week.
“The Met’s Aviation Policing Command continues to monitor the situation and liaise with the relevant authorities.”
Graeme McQueen, head of communications with Dublin Airport operator DAA, said Thursday was a “normal day” for the airport.
He said: “There are reports of email threats being made to airports and airlines around the world. We’ve seen those. Obviously, stuff like that is obviously investigated.
“There was one flight which left Dublin Airport this morning, bound for Rome. It did divert to an airport in Paris. So, other than that, it’s a normal day at Dublin Airport. ”