BALPA has explained what happens on a plane during a bomb threat after suspected hoax alerts diverted Ryanair, Aer Lingus and Finnair flights across Europe on Thursday
The Aer Lingus aircraft that was heading from Dublin to Rome landed at Evreux-Fauville Air Base in northern France(Image: GUILLAUME SALIGOT, AFP via Getty Images)
The British Airlines Pilots’ Association has set out precisely what takes place on board an aircraft when a bomb threat is received. It follows further threats made against planes on Thursday. Thursday’s incidents marked the second wave this week, after several aircraft, including some departing from the UK and Ireland, were subjected to hoax security alerts earlier this week.
Thursday’s events led to numerous flights being diverted across Europe, including an Aer Lingus service from Dublin to Rome being forced to land in northern France and a Ryanair flight from London being diverted.
Joji Waites, BALPA director of flight safety, policy and regulation, said: “Aviation has historically been a target for bomb threats, but the industry has well-proven mechanisms for dealing with such threats.
“When a threat to an aircraft has been notified to the airline, the threat is passed to a team of assessors. These assessors use standard processes to grade the threat and decide whether the threat is Red (credible), Amber (partially credible) or Green (not credible). Amber is not considered an appropriate assessment if the plane is airborne.
“If the threat is assessed as not credible staff on the plane will not be informed of it. However, when a threat is assessed as credible (red or amber) the flight crew will be informed immediately and they will carry out company procedures for a credible bomb threat.
“From the moment the flight crew is notified of a credible bomb threat, commander of the aircraft – the captain – is in command and will make all the decisions, guided by the appropriate checklist, for the safety of their aircraft. Usually, if a plane is still on the tarmac that will mean an evacuation and if it is in the air, the priority will be to land the plane as soon and as safely as possible.
“Pilots are highly trained and skilled professionals. Their expertise is invaluable in ensuring passenger safety and keeping aviation one of the safest forms of transport there is.”
No fewer than eight flights were confirmed to have received bomb threats on Thursday, with services affected from Copenhagen, Helsinki, Madrid, Milan and Warsaw. Among those targeted was a Ryanair flight departing from London Stansted Airport bound for the Bulgarian capital Sofia, which was diverted and touched down safely in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, according to the Associated Press. The majority of affected aircraft were redirected to alternative airports for emergency landings, while others reached their intended destinations without incident.
With regard to the Dublin to Rome Aer Lingus flight, a statement from the French prime minister’s office confirmed that the A320 aircraft was diverted to the Evreux air base, where it landed safely.
“The 151 passengers and six crew members were brought to safety and the bomb disposal teams intervened,” the statement added. Aer Lingus said: “Aer Lingus flight EI402 from Dublin to Rome diverted to Normandy this morning as a security precaution. The flight landed safely and Aer Lingus will work to reaccommodate customers to their final destination as soon as possible.”
Finnish carrier Finnair confirmed that two of its flights — one departing Helsinki bound for Rome and another heading from Helsinki to Vienna — had also received “unfounded or hoax” bomb threats on Thursday. Both aircraft touched down at their intended destinations and passengers disembarked without incident, the airline stated.
In Rome, the Finnair aircraft was thoroughly inspected with nothing suspicious discovered, while checks on the plane in Vienna were still ongoing. The flight to Rome had 144 passengers and seven crew members on board, while the Vienna-bound service carried 177 passengers and six crew, the airline confirmed.
WizzAir revealed that two of its flights had also been subjected to bomb threats on Thursday — one travelling from Milan to Bucharest, which landed safely at its destination, and another due to fly from Milan to Warsaw, which was diverted and touched down safely in Vienna.
The airline said it was “co-operating fully with the relevant authorities” and taking “all necessary steps to ensure the safety of everyone onboard”.
It added: “The safety and security of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority.”