
A Ryanair flight en route from London's Luton Airport to Vilnius, Lithuania, was forced to abort its landing and divert to Warsaw, Poland, on January 16, 2025, due to GPS interference, according to Lithuania's air navigation authority. The incident involved a Boeing 737 MAX 8-200, which had begun its descent into Vilnius Airport when the pilot decided to climb back up and head to Warsaw, approximately 400 kilometers away.
The plane, which was carrying passengers from the UK, had descended to about 850 feet (259 meters) before the decision to divert was made. A spokesperson for Oro navigacija, Lithuania's air navigation service provider, confirmed that the aircraft encountered "GPS signal interference." The pilot made the call to divert while other flights continued to land at Vilnius Airport as usual, indicating that the issue was specific to this Ryanair flight. This event is not isolated. Over the past year, there have been increasing reports of GPS interference in Eastern Europe, particularly in regions close to the NATO border with Russia. Estonia and Finland last year accused Russia of jamming GPS signals in their airspace, though Russia has consistently denied these allegations. The interference can disrupt the navigation systems of aircraft, potentially leading to safety concerns, although modern airliners are equipped with multiple navigation systems beyond just GPS, including inertial navigation systems and traditional radio navigation aids.
The specific cause of the GPS interference on this Ryanair flight remains under investigation. Lithuania's Defense Minister, Dovile Sakaliene, disclosed that the incident is being looked into, highlighting the growing concern over such disturbances. The Lithuanian Air Navigation Authority has noted that pilots landing at Vilnius Airport reported over 800 instances of GPS interference in the last three months of 2024, a significant increase from the 124 incidents reported in the same period in 2023. GPS jamming can create a variety of hazards, from misleading pilots about their actual position to causing navigational errors. While most modern aircraft can operate without GPS, relying on alternative navigation methods, the sudden need to abort a landing due to such interference underscores the seriousness of the issue. It also raises questions about the security of airspace in regions where geopolitical tensions could influence activities like signal jamming.
Ryanair has not yet issued a formal response regarding the incident, but such diversions due to technical issues like GPS interference can lead to significant inconvenience for passengers, including delays and uncertainty. In response to previous incidents of GPS jamming, some airlines have adjusted flight paths to avoid affected areas or have equipped their aircraft with additional anti-jamming technology. This incident in Vilnius adds to the growing dossier of concerns about GPS reliability in Eastern Europe. It emphasizes the need for enhanced security measures for aviation navigation systems and perhaps a reevaluation of how airspaces are monitored for electronic interference. As investigations continue, both local authorities and international aviation regulators will be scrutinizing this event to prevent future occurrences and ensure the safety of air travel in regions where GPS interference has become a recurring challenge.