A London-bound Vistara flight from Delhi was diverted to Frankfurt due to a bomb threat that was later confirmed to be a hoax, an airline official said on Saturday. In a statement early in the morning, a Vistara spokesperson reported that the flight landed safely at Frankfurt Airport. Following comprehensive security checks, the flight was cleared for takeoff and later reached London around 11:40 pm local time on Friday.
"Vistara flight UK17, operating from Delhi to London on October 18, 2024, received a security threat via social media. In accordance with established protocols, all relevant authorities were immediately alerted. As a precaution, the pilots made the decision to divert the flight to Frankfurt," said the spokesperson.
The official confirmed that the threat involved a possible bomb onboard. Meanwhile, Akasa Air also faced a security scare on Friday. Its flight QP 1366, scheduled from Bengaluru to Mumbai, received an alert just before departure.
"As per safety and security protocols, all passengers had to disembark while local authorities carried out necessary procedures. We appreciate your patience as our ground team did everything possible to minimize the inconvenience," Akasa Air stated on social media platform X.
In the past week alone, nearly 40 flights operated by Indian airlines have been targeted with bomb threats, all of which have turned out to be false alarms. The Civil Aviation Ministry is planning to implement stricter regulations to curb such incidents. Among the measures being considered is placing those responsible for hoax bomb threats on a no-fly list, ensuring swift consequences for such actions.