Security protocols were activated on Thursday after a bomb threat was flagged on a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to Barcelona — a scare later traced to a passenger’s misuse of the aircraft’s in-flight Wi-Fi system.
The airline said the alert was triggered during the plane’s approach to Barcelona when a passenger created a personal internet access point and named it with wording that included a bomb threat.
“Necessary procedures were immediately initiated within the scope of flight safety,” Turkish Airlines communications chief Yahya Ustun said on X.
He added that the aircraft landed safely and that post-landing inspections were carried out by Spanish authorities in line with international aviation security rules.
Spain’s airport operator Aena confirmed that security protocols were activated at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport, but stressed that operations continued without disruption.
Authorities have not said whether the passenger responsible will face charges, but aviation officials routinely warn that even hoax threats are treated as serious security incidents.
