{
  "id": 18411906,
  "title": "Aer Lingus flight passenger describes ordeal as plane diverted by bomb hoax",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/05/aer-lingus-flight-passenger-describes-ordeal-as-plane-diverted-by",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-05T23:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Discovered",
    "slug": "discovered",
    "url": "https://lynnnews.co.uk/national/aer-lingus-flight-passenger-describes-ordeal-as-plane-diverted-by-bomb-hoax-173932"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "An Aer Lingus passenger recounted the harrowing ordeal of his flight being diverted due to a bomb hoax. John May and his wife, Emma Shanley May, were on a trip to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary when they encountered the unexpected situation. About an hour into the flight, the pilot called for cabin crew to urgently come to the cockpit, causing a commotion among the passengers. The pilot then revealed a technical issue, prompting the plane to circle the airport for an hour before realizing the threat was a false bomb warning. The passengers, including May's children Fionn, Sonny, and Louie, were left anxious about their children at home. The pilot remained calm throughout the ordeal, reassuring the passengers. After circling for another half an hour, the pilot announced they would land at an airport in France after the bomb threat was deemed not credible. However, the plane was eventually escorted to an air base in northern France, where it landed safely. French authorities then arrived, and bomb disposal teams were called to ensure everyone's safety. Despite the lengthy wait, Aer Lingus and the French officials treated the passengers well, providing food and drinks. The incident, part of a series of bomb threat hoaxes targeting flights that day, highlighted the precautions taken by airlines and authorities to ensure passenger safety.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}