An Austrian Airlines Airbus A320-200 traveling from Tel Aviv to Vienna was forced to divert to Sofia, Bulgaria, on Sunday night following an alleged bomb threat. The incident prompted the Bulgarian Air Force to dispatch MiG-29 fighter jets to escort the commercial airliner to Vasil Levski Sofia Airport.
Escort and Security Search in Sofia
Flight OS82 was cruising near the Romanian border when the crew received an anonymous report concerning a suspicious object on board. The pilot decided to divert to the nearest suitable airport, which was Sofia. Upon arrival, the aircraft was met by military escorts and ground security teams.
The plane touched down in Sofia at 9:42 PM local time. Authorities conducted a thorough search of the aircraft, as well as the passengers and crew. Austrian Airlines confirmed that the search found no danger. The flight carried 51 passengers and six crew members at the time of the incident.
The aircraft remained on the ground in Bulgaria for more than five hours while security checks were completed. It eventually took off again at 2:54 AM local time on Monday morning. The flight arrived in Vienna at 3:12 AM, nearly six hours behind its original schedule.
Flight Details and Fleet Information
The aircraft involved, registered as OE-LZE, is a 13-year-old Airbus A320-200. It is one of 29 A320-200 models in the Austrian Airlines fleet, which also operates seven newer A320neo aircraft. The plane re-entered service on Monday morning with a flight to Geneva.
Flight OS82 is a regularly scheduled service that operates twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays. The Sunday flight departed Tel Aviv slightly late at 7:04 PM, missing its planned 6:40 PM departure time. The delay was attributed to the security procedures required after the diversion.
Aviation analysts note that airline schedules to and from Israel have fluctuated due to regional geopolitical tensions. Austrian Airlines has maintained a consistent link between Vienna and Tel Aviv in recent months, though it has paused the route several times in the past two years. The current frequency of two to three daily round trips seems high given the low passenger count on this specific flight.
Source: Simple Flying
