Manchester

Manchester Airport, one of the busiest air hubs in the UK, temporarily suspended flight operations on Tuesday (Oct 17) following a bomb threat on an Emirates flight originating from Dubai, media reports said. The Emirates Airbus A380, also known as the "SuperJumbo," landed slightly behind schedule at 7:21 pm after a routine flight from Dubai.

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Greater Manchester Police, at the same time, received information about a concerning email that claimed the presence of a suspicious package on the aircraft.

In response to the bomb threat, a police spokesperson reportedly stated that the aircraft had landed at Manchester Airport and was held for "further assessment".

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During this time, airfield activities came to a standstill. It caused three incoming flights to be diverted to nearby airports.

Specifically, a British Airways flight from London Heathrow and an easyJet flight from Palma de Mallorca were rerouted to Liverpool. Meanwhile, a Jet2 flight arriving from Paphos in Cyprus was redirected to Leeds Bradford, which serves as the airline's main base.

Brief airport closure

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The airport closure lasted for 34 minutes, during which time intensive searches and security checks were conducted. Fortunately, no suspicious items were discovered, as per a police spokesperson. 

Passengers on the Emirates flight were allowed to disembark the aircraft. There was also presence of extra police officers to address any concerns and provide reassurance to the troubled passengers. 

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At this stage, reports said, no arrests have been made in connection with the incident.

Disruption to return flight 

As a consequence of the bomb threat and the ensuing security measures, the return flight to Dubai, EK20, experienced a delay of two and a half hours. This delay meant that some of the roughly 500 passengers onboard were expected to miss their connecting flights at the Emirates hub.

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An Emirates spokesperson explained that the incoming flight, EK19, had to undergo additional security checks upon arrival. “Emirates crew and ground teams co-operated fully with the authorities. After the local authorities cleared the aircraft, it proceeded to the gate where passengers disembarked as normal," the statement reportedly added. 

(With inputs from agencies)

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