A passenger plane flying from London to Warsaw made an unscheduled landing at Warsaw-Modlin airport on Tuesday after a bomb threat alert, forcing the airport to close temporarily, while a second aircraft from Copenhagen was being checked at Warsaw-Chopin airport. Security services were verifying the reported threat in Modlin, the airport said.
The airport said the alert concerned a flight from London Heathrow to Warsaw Chopin, and that a Boeing 737 MAX landed at Modlin at 10.01am, seven minutes after the alert was announced at 9.54am.
The airport said 181 people were aboard the plane and were being evacuated. Warsaw-Modlin Airport was closed before resuming operations, and the airport said the aircraft was being checked by the relevant services while passengers and crew waited in the arrivals hall for further decisions.
Warsaw has two airports: Chopin is within the city limits and Modlin, mostly used by budget airlines, is about 36km from the capital.
A spokesperson for Polish airlines LOT confirmed the flight was a LOT service. A bomb threat was also reported on an SAS flight from Copenhagen to Warsaw, which landed at Chopin Airport and was being checked, a Warsaw-Chopin airport spokesperson said, adding that the airport was continuing operations.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Two of Warsaw's airports were drawn into security alerts within minutes of each other, disrupting passengers on international routes from London and Copenhagen.
- The Modlin alert briefly shut an airport used heavily by budget carriers, which can cascade into delays across the day's schedule.
- The checks were still under way, and the outcome of the verification at both airports had not been reported.
Background
Bomb threats against civil aviation are treated as credible until cleared, and airports routinely close terminals, divert aircraft and evacuate passengers while police and security services search a plane. Warsaw is served by two airports: Chopin, close to the city centre, and Modlin, a secondary airport about 36km from the capital that handles mostly low-cost traffic. Modlin's distance from the city means a diversion there separates passengers from the terminal they were bound for.
What to Watch
- The results of the security checks on both aircraft, and whether either alert is treated as credible.
- How quickly Modlin and Chopin return to normal schedules, and whether the London and Copenhagen flights are delayed or cancelled.
- Whether Polish authorities say anything further about the origin of the threats.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedA passenger plane from London made an unscheduled landing at Warsaw-Modlin after a bomb threat alert.7NEWS: “A passenger plane from London has made an unscheduled landing at Warsaw-Modlin airport in Poland after a bomb threat alert”
- SupportedA second plane from Copenhagen was being checked at Warsaw-Chopin.7NEWS: “another plane from Copenhagen was being checked at Warsaw-Chopin airport.”
- SupportedThe London-to-Warsaw flight had 181 people aboard.7NEWS: “The 181 people aboard the plane were being evacuated, it said.”
- SupportedThe bomb threat alert forced Warsaw-Modlin Airport to close temporarily.7NEWS: “after a bomb threat alert, forcing the airport to temporarily close”
- SupportedThe airport said security services were verifying the reported threat in Modlin.7NEWS: “Security services were verifying the reported threat in Modlin, the airport said in a statement on Tuesday.”
- SupportedThe alert concerned a flight from London Heathrow to Warsaw Chopin Airport.7NEWS: “At 9.54am, a bomb threat alert was announced on board an aircraft operating a flight on the route London Heathrow (LHR) - Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW).”
- SupportedThe plane landed at 10.01am, seven minutes after the alert was announced at 9.54am.7NEWS: “At 9.54am, a bomb threat alert was announced on board an aircraft operating a flight on the route London Heathrow (LHR) - Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW). At 10.01am, a Boeing 737 MAX aircraft landed at Warsaw/Modlin Airport”
- SupportedThe aircraft that landed at Modlin was a Boeing 737 MAX.7NEWS: “At 10.01am, a Boeing 737 MAX aircraft landed at Warsaw/Modlin Airport”
- SupportedThe 181 people aboard the plane were being evacuated.7NEWS: “The 181 people aboard the plane were being evacuated, it said.”
- SupportedThe aircraft was being checked by relevant services while passengers and crew waited in the arrivals hall for further decisions.7NEWS: “The aircraft which was the subject of a report of a possible bomb threat is currently being checked by the relevant services. Passengers and crew members remain in the arrivals hall to wait for further decisions”
- SupportedA LOT spokesperson confirmed the flight was a LOT service.7NEWS: “A spokesperson for Polish airlines LOT confirmed it was a LOT flight.”
- SupportedA bomb threat was reported on an SAS flight from Copenhagen to Warsaw; it landed at Chopin and was being checked, the airport spokesperson said.7NEWS: “A bomb threat was also reported on an SAS flight from Copenhagen to Warsaw, which landed at Chopin Airport and was being checked, a Warsaw-Chopin airport spokesperson said”