Birmingham Airport received bomb threats assessed as not credible, it is understood, with operations continuing without disruption as flights across Europe faced security alerts.
Birmingham Airport received bomb threats that were assessed as not credible, it is understood, as a series of security alerts prompted flight diversions across Europe.
Operations at Birmingham continued without disruption, it is understood. Heathrow also received threats assessed as not credible and continued operating without disruption.
A spokesperson for Birmingham Airport said: "The safety and security of customers and colleagues is always our highest priority.
"In line with UK aviation security standards, processes were immediately initiated in conjunction with emergency services and partners."
At least a dozen flights were confirmed to have been targeted with bomb threats on Thursday, including services from Copenhagen, Helsinki, Madrid, Milan and Warsaw.
The alerts followed several aircraft, including some departing from the UK and Ireland, being subjected to hoax security alerts earlier in the week.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander told journalists she was aware that a "small number of flights" had been disrupted on Thursday. She added: "We do have some of the most robust aviation security systems anywhere in the world and we have established processes for dealing with hoax and malicious threats, and that's what these threats have been."
Ms Alexander said the UK took these threats "seriously", adding: "But we understand that these have been malicious hoax threats."
A UK Government spokesperson said threats reported in the "early hours" of Thursday had been "resolved".
"It's right that authorities treat any potential threats seriously – the UK has one of the most robust aviation security systems in the world, with well-tested processes for dealing with any threats, as well as malicious hoaxes, like those we've seen this week.
"The Met's Aviation Policing Command continues to monitor the situation and liaise with the relevant authorities."
Among the flights affected on Thursday was a Ryanair service from London Stansted bound for the Bulgarian capital, Sofia. It was diverted and landed safely in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, according to the Associated Press.
EasyJet confirmed that two of its flights — one departing from Newcastle and another from Glasgow — were met by police upon arrival in Prague as a "precautionary measure due to a security-related matter".
Passengers disembarked both aircraft without incident, the airline added.
An Aer Lingus flight travelling from Dublin to Rome was diverted to the Evreux air base in northern France amid a bomb alert.
A statement from the French prime minister's office said the A320 aircraft landed safely.
"The 151 passengers and six crew members were brought to safety and the bomb disposal teams intervened," the statement added.
Aer Lingus said: "Aer Lingus flight EI402 from Dublin to Rome diverted to Normandy this morning as a security precaution.
"The flight landed safely and Aer Lingus will work to reaccommodate customers to their final destination as soon as possible."
Graeme McQueen, head of communications with Dublin Airport operator DAA, said Thursday was a "normal day" for the airport.
He said: "There are reports of email threats being made to airports and airlines around the world.
"We've seen those. Obviously, stuff like that is obviously investigated.
"There was one flight which left Dublin Airport this morning, bound for Rome. It did divert to an airport in Paris.
"So, other than that, it's a normal day at Dublin Airport."
Finnish carrier Finnair confirmed that two of its services departing Helsinki — one heading to Rome and another to Vienna — had faced "unfounded or hoax" bomb threats on Thursday.
Both aircraft reached their destinations and passengers disembarked without issue, the airline stated. The Finnair aircraft in Rome was thoroughly inspected with nothing suspicious discovered, while checks on the Vienna-bound plane were still ongoing.
The Rome-bound service carried 144 passengers and seven crew members, while the Vienna flight had 177 passengers and six crew on board, Finnair confirmed.
Budget carrier Wizz Air also disclosed that two of its Milan departures had been subjected to bomb threats on Thursday. One, travelling to Bucharest, arrived safely. The other, destined for Warsaw, was diverted and landed safely in Vienna.
The airline stated it was "co-operating fully with the relevant authorities" and taking "all necessary steps to ensure the safety of everyone onboard".
It added: "The safety and security of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority."
The aviation sector has "well-proved mechanisms" for handling bomb threats, according to Joji Waites, director of flight safety, policy and regulation at the British Airline Pilots' Association.
When a carrier receives notification of a threat to an aircraft, it is referred to a panel of assessors who rate it red (credible), amber (partially credible) or green (not credible), he explained.
"Amber is not considered an appropriate assessment if the plane is airborne," Mr Waites noted.
"If the threat is assessed as not credible, staff on the plane will not be informed of it.
"However, when a threat is assessed as credible (red or amber) the flight crew will be informed immediately and they will carry out company procedures for a credible bomb threat.
"From the moment the flight crew is notified of a credible bomb threat, the commander of the aircraft – the captain – is in command and will make all the decisions, guided by the appropriate checklist, for the safety of their aircraft.
"Usually, if a plane is still on the tarmac, that will mean an evacuation, and if it is in the air, the priority will be to land the plane as soon and as safely as possible.
"Pilots are highly trained and skilled professionals.
"Their expertise is invaluable in ensuring passenger safety and keeping aviation one of the safest forms of transport there is."
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