NATO fighter jets were dispatched to intercept a commercial flight following the activation of a ‘bomb threat’ WiFi hotspot by a passenger.
The incident involved Turkish Airlines flight TK1853 departing from Istanbul. An emergency alert prompted French fighter jets to respond under a Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) before passing the mission to Spanish jets upon entry into Spanish airspace.
The aircraft was accompanied by military planes due to a perceived threat detected over the Mediterranean Sea in Italian territory. The crew declared a general emergency using skwark 7700 code, leading to the diversion of the flight to Barcelona-El Prat Airport for safety precautions.
The trigger for the alert was attributed to a WiFi network name containing a threatening message. Turkish Airlines Communication Director Yahya Üstün confirmed the situation, emphasizing the immediate implementation of safety protocols.
Upon landing, all 148 passengers and crew were smoothly evacuated to a designated area within the airport. Sniffer dogs conducted a thorough search, but no explosives were found, ensuring passenger safety.
The disruption caused a 30-minute delay, with operations returning to normal following the incident. Notably, this event occurred shortly after an Air India flight to Birmingham diverted due to adverse weather conditions caused by Storm Goretti.
Flight AI117 from Amritsar, India, encountered heavy snowfall and low visibility, necessitating a diversion near Leamington Spa. The emergency was prompted by a “Minimum Fuel” situation, with the aircraft rerouted to London under priority handling from Air Traffic Control.
Birmingham Airport temporarily suspended runway operations on January 9 due to heavy snowfall, impacting flight schedules during the inclement weather period.