Hungary Scrambles Fighter Jets After Contact Lost With Arkia Flight to Prague

Hungary scrambled two fighter jets toward Arkia flight IZ281 after the Israeli passenger plane briefly lost contact with air traffic control while flying through Hungarian airspace. The flight, an Airbus A321 operating a scheduled service from Tel Aviv to Prague, was not reported to be in danger at any stage.

According to reports published in Hungary over the weekend, the response came after the Israeli aircraft failed to establish communication with air traffic controllers. Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar said in a statement on social media that the Hungarian Defence Forces dispatched two JAS-39 Gripen jets to escort the plane, acting on instructions from NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centre.

Arkia said its crew followed the approved flight plan and the designated routes. The airline said that at one point during the trip, communication was cut between the aircraft and the Hungarian air traffic control unit.

“From our understanding, after the loss of contact, the Hungarian authorities decided to dispatch a military aircraft that approached the plane, and as a result contact was renewed with the flight crew,” Arkia said. The company added that it is conducting an internal review and will examine the circumstances with Hungarian authorities. The plane continued as scheduled and landed safely in Prague.