Airlines face bomb-threat surge; 70 'warnings' received in 6 days, safety body meets airline CEOs
With flights operated by Indian airlines receiving an unprecedented 70 bomb threats in six days, officials from aviation safety body Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) met the chief executive officers (CEOs) of the airlines in New Delhi on Saturday. Officials said that at the meeting, held at the civil aviation ministry's office in Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan, the CEOs were asked to follow the standard operating procedure (SOP) for tackling the threats, which have been causing inconvenience to passengers and losses to carriers. They were also asked to keep all stakeholders informed about the threats and the action being taken.
More than 30 flights operated by various Indian airlines, including Vistara, Air India, and IndiGo, were hit by bomb threats on Saturday, according to sources. The affected flights include both domestic and international routes, with airlines such as Akasa Air, SpiceJet, Star Air, and Alliance Air also receiving threats.
These threats, many of which were received through social media, have caused widespread concern, though most have so far turned out to be hoaxes. This is part of a worrying trend, with at least 70 bomb threats made against Indian carriers over the past week. One notable incident involved a Vistara flight from Udaipur to Mumbai (UK624), where a note was found in the lavatory claiming a bomb was onboard. Following safety protocols, the aircraft was taken to an isolation bay upon landing, and all necessary security checks were conducted.
Vistara reported security threats for five international flights, including UK106 (Singapore to Mumbai), UK027 (Mumbai to Frankfurt), UK107 (Mumbai to Singapore), UK121 (Delhi to Bangkok), and UK131 (Mumbai to Colombo). In each case, relevant authorities were immediately alerted, and security procedures were implemented.
IndiGo also received bomb threats for four of its flights, including 6E17 (Mumbai to Istanbul), 6E11 (Delhi to Istanbul), 6E184 (Jodhpur to Delhi), and 6E108 (Hyderabad to Chandigarh). Upon landing, passengers were safely disembarked, and thorough security checks were carried out. On Friday, three international Vistara flights also received bomb threats, which were later confirmed as hoaxes. One of the flights was diverted to Frankfurt as a precautionary measure.
Given the recent surge in hoax bomb threats, the Civil Aviation Ministry is considering stricter regulations to prevent such incidents in the future. These measures may include placing perpetrators on the no-fly list as a deterrent. As investigations continue, all affected airlines are maintaining heightened security vigilance to ensure the safety of passengers and crew.