A Wizz Air flight departing Budapest for Bilbao was halted on the runway on Tuesday after airport authorities issued a security warning, according to reports from aviation and news portals including AIRportal, hang.hu, and 24.hu. The aircraft, operating flight W6 2413, was forced to abort its departure before leaving the Liszt Ferenc International Airport.
According to AIRportal and corroborated by 24.hu and hang.hu, the four-year-old Airbus A321neo operating the route was pushed back from its stand at 16:30. As the aircraft taxied toward runway 2, it received a safety warning from authorities, prompting the flight crew to abort the journey and pull into a runway waiting bay. Footage shared on Facebook showed numerous emergency vehicles with blue flashing lights surrounding the aircraft on the airfield.
Runway Closures and Passenger Status at Liszt Ferenc International Airport
According to 24.hu, runway 2 was closed due to the incident, forcing air traffic to divert to the airport’s other runway. Meanwhile, the Budapest Airport operator confirmed that air traffic control and competent authorities are actively investigating the report concerning the Budapest-Bilbao connection.
Passengers aboard the affected Wizz Air service were disembarked from the plane and are currently waiting in the transit lounge, as reported by hang.hu and the Budapest Airport operator. Despite the disruption and runway closure, the airport continues to operate smoothly, with the operator confirming that the aviation facility remains fully functional.
Did You Know? The aircraft involved in the incident is a four-year-old Airbus A321neo that was pushed back from its stand at 16:30 before being ordered to halt in a runway waiting bay.
Official Response and Investigation into the Bilbao Flight Warning
According to Wizz Air’s statement provided to aviation media outlets, the flight crew acted in full cooperation with authorities, deciding to turn back based on security information received from airport authorities and associated organizations.
When contacted by reporters, the National Police Headquarters (Országos Rendőr-főkapitányság) stated that the Bilbao flight was turned back because of a child making a phone call, according to the main source details. An investigation into the exact circumstances of the report is currently ongoing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Wizz Air flight to Bilbao fail to depart?
According to reports from AIRportal, hang.hu, and 24.hu, the flight was halted due to a security warning issued by authorities while the aircraft was taxiing toward the runway.
Where are the passengers currently located?
The Budapest Airport confirmed that all passengers from the affected flight were safely disembarked and are waiting in the transit lounge of Liszt Ferenc International Airport.
How did the incident affect overall airport operations?
While runway 2 was temporarily closed and traffic was diverted to the other runway, the Budapest Airport operator confirmed that the facility continued to function without interruption.
What measures do you think airports should prioritize when handling unexpected security alerts during aircraft taxiing?
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