TUI Cardiff flight bomb threat: passenger recalls tense ordeal

South Wales Argus

23-06-2025

The incident unfolded on Thursday morning, June 19, when a threatening note was discovered in the aircraft's restroom.
The flight, TOM6422, was en route over Portugal when a crew member found the note and alerted the pilot. The Spanish Civil Guard was immediately informed and called to assist. Fighter jets were scrambled to escort the plane safely as it diverted to César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport.
Upon landing, the aircraft was met by bomb disposal experts from Spain's GEDEX (Explosives Deactivation Group) and other specialised units. The Guardia Civil's Fiscal and Border Section, alongside investigation teams and security patrols, secured the area to thoroughly investigate the threat.
TUI flight from Cardiff escorted by fighter jets after bomb threat note found onboard (Image: Ryan Jones) A spokesperson from Cardiff Airport said:
'We are aware of an incident involving flight TOM6422 from Cardiff to Lanzarote on 19/06/25. The safety of our passengers is our number one priority. No concerns or suspicious activity were raised prior to departure.'
Passengers on the flight described the tense moments onboard. Ryan Jones recalled how flight attendants searched the plane and the pilot's sudden announcement of an emergency landing, followed by the sight of fighter jets escorting them.
' We took off from Cardiff, I don't know, it was all going great, and then all of a sudden you could see the stewardesses looking in the compartments and everything else'.
'They were looking more and more and more, but then, like, and suddenly the pilot, you know, he didn't say exactly what was happening, but he said, oh, we've got to make an emergency landing in Faro, and it was like, oh, Christ, what have happened?'
Ryan recalled the tense moment as fighter jets appeared: 'And then I could see these jets following us, no one was sure what was happening, so people were asking a lot of questions, and 20 minutes after we landed".
TUI flight from Cardiff escorted by fighter jets after bomb threat note found onboard (Image: Ryan Jones) "They were looking through our baggage, because the plane had been closed all night, but everyone on the plane was great'.
'I should have been scared, when I think about it now, the stewardesses and the pilot, everyone did a great job keeping us calm. They were so calm', praising the crew's professionalism and calm demeanour throughout the ordeal.
He added, 'We didn't know exactly what was happening until after we landed. I guess that was fair, everyone would have been panicking if they had known.'
Passengers underwent additional security checks after landing. Ryan said, 'We had dogs sniffing us and asking about our belongings after we landed. Later, we found out that someone had left a note in the toilet.'
It was later confirmed that nothing suspicious was found and the bomb threat was a false alarm.
Currently, passengers like Ryan and Victoria Jones, who travelled from Wales, are enjoying their vacation in Lanzarote and hoping for a safer, less eventful flight home.