LOT Bomb Threat Diverts 181 People to Warsaw-Modlin

A bomb threat diverted a LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 737 MAX carrying 181 people from Warsaw Chopin to Warsaw-Modlin on November 3, 2026. The alert temporarily shut the diversion airport and disrupted other flights. Security teams later cleared the threat, and Modlin resumed normal operations.

The aircraft had departed London Heathrow for Warsaw Chopin. Warsaw-Modlin Airport said authorities announced the alarm at 9:54 a.m. local time. The jet landed seven minutes later, at 10:01 a.m., with 181 people aboard. Modlin initially suspended operations while emergency teams responded.

LOT passengers leave the aircraft as security teams respond

After landing, the Boeing 737 MAX moved to a designated parking area for inspection. In its 10:45 a.m. update, the airport confirmed that passengers were disembarking. They were directed to the arrivals hall while security personnel continued their checks.

At 11:50 a.m., Modlin announced that flight operations had resumed. However, part of the apron and two taxiways remained closed as specialists examined the aircraft. The airport formally canceled the bomb alert at 12:21 p.m.

Its final statement reported a return to normal operations. Neither the statement nor the reviewed reporting identified an explosive device aboard the flight.

Two unrelated flights delayed at Warsaw-Modlin

The airport published specific schedule changes caused by its response. An Edinburgh arrival due at 11:30 a.m. landed at 12:49 p.m. after stopping in Poznan, a delay of 79 minutes against its original arrival time. Meanwhile, a Tenerife departure scheduled for 11:45 a.m. left at 12:37 p.m., 52 minutes late.

Both figures come from Modlin’s final operational notice. They show how a threat against one flight can affect other passengers even when no device is found.

The published updates did not establish how long the diverted LOT aircraft remained out of service. They also did not give a confirmed total for passengers who missed connections.

Six other European flights faced threats the same day

The LOT diversion was part of a wider series of warnings on November 3. According to Reuters and The Associated Press, six other flights were checked after threats.

They included an SAS service from Copenhagen to Warsaw, a Ryanair flight from Manchester to Murcia, and two Ryanair arrivals in Rome from Lisbon and Dublin. Two more aircraft arriving in Sofia from Milan Bergamo and Dublin also faced checks. Authorities reported no explosives in the cases reviewed.

Officials in Bulgaria corrected an early account that had identified an arrival from Israel. The November 3 Sofia flights involved Bergamo and Dublin. No authority has confirmed a common sender or coordinated operation behind the seven alerts.

What the disruption means for connecting passengers

Travelers using Warsaw or other European connection points should check the operating airline’s flight status rather than assume an airport-wide closure continues. Modlin’s own notice confirmed that operations had resumed by late morning on November 3.

Passengers with disrupted tickets should retain airline notices and receipts for additional costs. AeroSillage’s guide to missed connecting flights and passenger rights explains how rebooking and reimbursement depend on the itinerary and applicable law.

For comparison, an Austrian Airlines flight diverted to Sofia after an October threat. That was a separate incident, not evidence linking the November warnings.

Polish authorities have not publicly attributed the LOT warning to a suspect. The verified result is an aircraft cleared after an emergency response, with measurable disruption to other Modlin flights.