The madness that is impacting Europe now includes bomb threats against airlines. Yesterday and today, several threats were received, causing flight disruptions. Some aircraft were diverted to other airports while others landed safely. No bombs have been found, and the bomb threats appear to be a hoax. Nonetheless, disruptions have impacted thousands of passengers, as threats must be taken seriously.
These threats come amid general unrest in some parts of Europe. Several countries, including France and Italy, have been impacted by violent demonstrations and domestic unrest. Russian-origin cyber-attacks have targeted infrastructure, including reducing freezer temperatures at grocery stores to spoil food. Today’s increase in bomb threats comes after multiple threats in the last couple of weeks.
Some believe the airline disruptions are of Russian origin, although Interpol continues to investigate aggressively. Hopefully, authorities will soon identify the origin and perpetrators and stop them.
European Flights Have Been Targeted
Several airlines have faced threats, including LOT Polish, SAS, Ryanair, and Wizz Air. The threat against a LOT flight that diverted from Warsaw Chopin to Warsaw Modlin airport. After the diversion, the airport closed while the aircraft was inspected, then reopened.
Since yesterday, threats have been directed at two Wizz Air flights, an SAS flight, and two Ryanair flights, according to the BBC. Flight destinations included Poland, Spain, Italy, and Bulgaria, causing schedule disruptions and delays across the continent. A bomb threat was also called in regarding a cruise ship, further escalating attacks on transportation.
In recent weeks, diversions of flights from India to Germany to Turkey and from Tel Aviv to Vienna were reported, and this week’s threats from yesterday and today seem to be growing. Fortunately, they all turned out to be hoaxes, but this is a costly process for airlines.
How Airlines Handle a Threat
Airlines handle threats to aircraft both in the air and on the ground. If a flight is airborne, coordination with air traffic control provides expedited priority for landing at a suitable airport. After landing, the aircraft is typically sent to a remote stand far from the terminal for safety. Police then thoroughly inspect it and, hopefully, clear it for resumption of flight. But often that can take one to three hours. If a flight is on the ground, it is typically towed to a remote stand and also undergoes inspection.
The Cost is Significant
Airline delays are very costly. Not only is revenue lost when future flights are canceled, but aircraft and crew costs also continue. Losses to an airline from bomb threats can be significant, in tens of thousands of dollars per flight. Passenger inconvenience adds additional economic costs, as they must be rebooked to their destinations, a process that could take several days.
The Bottom Line
Bomb threats are high costs because they must be taken seriously and interrupt normal operations. This happens even when the threat is a hoax, because airlines must take it seriously. This type of economic terrorism costs very little, but has a tremendous impact on schedules and operations. Are we seeing a new weapon against air travel? Stay tuned, and hope that the perpetrators are caught and punished.
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