Wizz Air flight from London diverted to Budapest after mid-air bomb threat

A Wizz Air flight travelling from London Luton Airport to the Bulgarian capital Sofia was escorted by a Hungarian fighter jet and forced to make an emergency landing in Budapest on Monday after a bomb threat was received mid-air. According to flight tracking website FlightAware, Wizz Air flight 4302 departed Luton at 08:33 GMT and had been due to arrive in Sofia at 13:25 local time (11:25 GMT). Instead, the aircraft landed at Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport at 12:09 local time (11:09 GMT). Hungarian Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendis confirmed that his country had provided the fighter jet to escort the flight. In a post on social media, he said that after receiving the bomb threat, the Wizz Air flight had requested permission to land at the airport in Budapest. "Within minutes, a Hungarian Defence Forces Gripen fighter jet took to the skies and provided an escort for the passenger aircraft," he said. The minister added that after the escort, the jet returned to its base and police took charge of the incident. A spokesperson for Wizz Air said authorities in Budapest "carried out the necessary security checks on the aircraft and passengers". The airline said that after making the emergency landing, the plane taxied "to a designated stand" where the checks were carried out. The airline later confirmed that the inspection had been "completed and nothing was found", adding that the plane would depart again shortly. Wizz Air said it was "cooperating fully with the authorities" and that the safety of passengers and crew "remains our highest priority". The budget carrier operates a substantial network from Luton Airport, where it recently launched six new routes. The airline has also publicly said it is cutting fares in an effort to attract hesitant customers.