Frustrated Bologna fans caught up in Birmingham Airport bomb scare | OneFootball

Many of the 2,500 Bologna fans who attended last night’s Champions League game against Aston Villa had another nasty surprise when the Birmingham airport was closed over a bomb scare.

The supporters made the trip to England for the big match at Villa Park, watching their team go down to a 2-0 defeat thanks to goals from John McGinn and Jhon Duran.

They were meant to return home this afternoon, but the flight was delayed and the entire airport evacuated when a suspicious vehicle was spotted outside.

The West Midlands Police assured it was only a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of passengers and staff, as the vehicle was later deemed to be safe.

Bologna fans stuck in Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 22: Morgan Rogers of Aston Villa takes a shot during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD3 match between Aston Villa FC and Bologna FC 1909 at Villa Park on October 22, 2024 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Departing flights were suspended for at least a couple of hours, but services are now slowly returning to normal.

“Following a police investigation, some passengers were evacuated and we had to suspend departing flights for a couple of hours,” said a Birmingham Airport spokesperson.

“That investigation has now concluded, and operations will slowly be returning to normal. All passengers are advised to check latest flight information from their airline.

“Whilst we apologise for any inconvenience and disruption, the safety and security of everyone at the airport was our number one priority as we worked through this incident with police partners.”

While many of the Bologna supporters were hoping to make their way back home to Italy from Birmingham Airport, others had planned to fly via either Manchester or London and therefore avoided the delays.

Curiously, both of Bologna’s Champions League away fixtures this season have been in England, as they also lost to Liverpool.