What we know about the bomb threats to European flights

European aviation has been hit by another round of bomb threats communicated to airlines mainly via email and phone, authorities say. Even hoaxes can severely disrupt operations: aircraft are often searched thoroughly, passengers and baggage may be unloaded and reloaded, and crews can be pushed beyond duty limits, contributing to missed connections and cancellations. Authorities typically avoid disclosing delivery methods to reduce copycat attempts. It remains unclear whether recent incidents—some claimed by an obscure group once based in Russia—are connected. Aviation experts say the pattern resembles more coordinated “hybrid” attacks, though no country has taken responsibility and Russia denies involvement. The longer-term effect is higher costs and greater travel friction for passengers.