Wizz Air Flight From London Diverts Due To Bomb Threat

Credit: kamilpetran | Shutterstock | Simple Flying Published Nov 2, 2026, 11:50 AM EST Louis is a military historian and the staff writer for History of War magazine, a leading military history monthly. He also has an interest in private and commercial aviation. Sign in to your Simple Flying account Wizz Air flight 4302, traveling from London Luton Airport (LTN) to Sofia International Airport (SOF) has made an emergency landing following a midair bomb threat. The aircraft landed safely at Budapest Liszt Ferenc International (BUD) and received a fighter escort. Once the aircraft had landed and taxied to a designated stand, police took charge of the aircraft. They found nothing suspicious onboard. Wizz Air continues to cooperate with the authorities while investigations are ongoing. What Wizz Air Say Happened Wizz Air has confirmed that the LTN to SOF flight was diverted to BUD after a bomb threat during the flight. It says the airline is cooperating with the authorities and continues to prioritize the safety of passengers and crew members above all else. The flight affected by the bomb scare was number 4302. It departed from Luton at 8:33 AM local time (GMT). The scheduled arrival time in the Bulgarian capital was 1:25 PM local time (11:25 AM GMT). Instead, it landed safely in Budapest Airport at 12:09 PM (11:09 AM GMT). A communications representative from Wizz Air provided the following statement: "Wizz Air confirms that today’s London Luton–Sofia flight was diverted to Budapest following a bomb threat received during the flight. The aircraft diverted and landed safely at Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport in accordance with the relevant security protocols and procedures, before taxiing to a designated stand, where the relevant authorities carried out the necessary security checks on the aircraft and passengers." The Hungarian Defense Forces Scrambled A Fighter Jet Hungarian Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendis has also confirmed the incident in a social media post. He also said that a Saab Gripen fighter scrambled and successfully escorted the aircraft in to land. The first five Gripen fighters arrived in Hungary on March 21, 2006. They were officially handed over during a ceremony on March 21, 2006. Saab, a Swedish manufacturer, has constructed around 300 of these supersonic multirole fighter aircraft. Competing aircraft include the Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon, Dassault Rafaele, and Eurofighter Typhoon. The table below shows the specifications for the Gripen fighters flown by the Hungarian Defense Forces. It uses data from Aviation Week and Defence.hu, and reflects that JAS 39D, the most numerous variant flown by Hungary: Number owned by Hungary 18 Length 48 feet, 5 inches (14.8 m) Wingspan 27 feet 7 inches (8.4 m) Maximum takeoff weight 30,900 lb (14,000 kg) Powerplant Volvo Aero Corporation RM12 generating 18,100 lbf (80.5 kN) of thrust Service ceiling 52,500 feet (16,000 m) G-limit +9/-3 Hardpoints 7 (1 centerline, 4 underwing, 2 for wingtip SRAAMs) and 1 for ECM/targeting pod.No internal cannon, After its escort duty was executed, the Gripen safely returned to Kecskemét Air Base. This is Hungary's largest military air base and is the home of its fighter force. “Our soldiers have once again proven that they can be deployed immediately if necessary and are able to guarantee the security of Hungary’s airspace,” said Ruszin-Szendi. Processes On The Ground Showed No Bombs Onboard The Wizz Air aircraft landed on Runway 31R. The airport's authorities then shut down this runway to deal with the aircraft, shifting traffic to 31L, AirLive reports. They directed the aircraft to a secure and isolated stand, where police and counter-terrorism squads were waiting. The authorities took passengers off the aircraft and into a secure area of the terminal. Bomb disposal officers then completed a thorough search of the cabin and cargo hold. They unearthed no hazardous or suspicious items. Hungarian law enforcement officers continue to investigate the source of the false threat. With the jet cleared, authorities gave permission for the Wizz Air Airbus A321neo to continue its journey to SOF. The plane departed at 4:48 PM local time. The airline currently has 81 examples of the A321neo in its fleet.