A flight from London Heathrow to Warsaw was diverted to Warsaw Modlin Airport on Tuesday after a bomb threat alert on board, forcing the airport to close until further notice.
The LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 737 MAX, carrying 181 people, had departed Heathrow at 6:30am and was due to land at Warsaw Chopin Airport. At 9:54am local time, a bomb threat alert was announced on board, and the aircraft landed at Modlin at 10:01am local time.
Warsaw Modlin Airport said in a statement: “Due to the situation, Warsaw/Modlin Airport remains closed until further notice. The services are underway to verify the reported threat and ensure the safety of all people present at the airport.”
The 181 people aboard were evacuated from the aircraft, and the plane was directed to a designated area to wait while bomb disposal teams checked it and passengers’ luggage. A spokesperson for LOT confirmed it was a LOT flight.
Modlin Airport spokesperson Adam Szablowski said: “A plane from London landed at Modlin Airport at 10:01 a.m. with 181 people on board. The airport has been closed. We are waiting for bomb disposal experts.”
Authorities have not said whether the threat is real — security services are still verifying it. Modlin, about 36km from Warsaw and mostly used by budget airlines, is the capital’s second airport; Chopin, within the city limits, is the main airport.
A second bomb threat was reported on the same day on a SAS flight from Copenhagen to Warsaw, which landed at Chopin Airport and was being checked, though Chopin continued operating.
It is the second London flight bomb scare in two days. On Monday, a Wizz Air flight from London Luton to Sofia was diverted to Budapest after a similar threat, with a fighter jet scrambled to escort it; security checks on that aircraft and its passengers were completed and nothing suspicious was found.
Passengers on the LOT flight were taken to the arrivals hall while checks continue. No injuries have been reported, and it is not yet known when Modlin will reopen.
