Wizz Air A321neo Diverts to Budapest After Bomb Threat, Escorted by Hungarian Gripen

November 2, 2026 — A Wizz Air (W6) Airbus A321neo flying from London Luton to Sofia diverted to Budapest on Monday, November 2, after the crew received a bomb threat. A Hungarian Air Force Gripen fighter escorted the jet through Hungarian airspace, and it landed safely.

Airline: Wizz Air (W6) · Country: Hungary

What happened

The aircraft changed course over Bosnia and Herzegovina and asked to land at Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport. A NATO air-defence readiness alert led Hungary to launch a Gripen, which escorted the airliner until landing. Hungarian Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi confirmed the scramble on Facebook.

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The A321neo landed on Runway 2 at 12:08 p.m. local time and taxied to stand B5, where firefighters, police and counter-terrorism officers met it. The aircraft and passengers were inspected under standard security procedures. Runway 2 was closed during the response, and other flights used the airport’s second runway. Wizz Air said it was “fully cooperating with the authorities”.

The flight number and the number of passengers on board were not reported (TBA). No findings on the threat or its source have been made public, and when passengers continued to Sofia has not been reported (TBA).

What it means for travelers

• Limited knock-on. This was a single diversion, and Budapest kept operating on one runway. Any delays on November 2 should be short-lived.
• Expect full follow-on flights. Passengers from a diverted flight are usually re-accommodated on the next services. If you are travelling on Wizz Air on Luton–Sofia or through Budapest over the next day or so, allow extra time.

Sources

• Aviation A2Z — Wizz Air Flight Diverts to Budapest After B*mb Threat, NATO Jets Scrambled