Over 30 Indian Flights Face Bomb Threats; BCAS Conducts Urgent Meeting with Airlines

On Saturday, over 30 flights operated by Indian airlines were targeted with bomb threats, causing significant disruption for passengers and airport staff. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) convened a meeting with airline CEOs and representatives in the national capital to address the situation. Flights from Air India, Vistara, IndiGo, Akasa Air, SpiceJet, Star Air, and Alliance Air were among those affected.

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Throughout the week, more than 70 domestic and international flights have received similar threats, most of which have been false alarms. Vistara faced threats on six flights, while IndiGo and Akasa Air each had five flights threatened. According to sources, most threats were communicated via social media starting Saturday morning.

Security Protocols and Airline Responses

Vistara's flights UK106 from Singapore to Mumbai, UK027 from Mumbai to Frankfurt, UK107 from Mumbai to Singapore, UK121 from Delhi to Bangkok, and UK131 from Mumbai to Colombo were among those threatened. A spokesperson stated that all necessary authorities were informed immediately and security protocols were strictly followed. Additionally, Vistara flight UK624 from Udaipur to Mumbai was taken to an isolation bay for checks after landing due to a security concern.

A note discovered in a lavatory claimed there was a bomb on board one of the flights. Vistara's flight UK027 from Mumbai to Frankfurt also faced a threat via social media but landed safely in Frankfurt. Akasa Air reported threats for five flights: QP 1323 Bengaluru to Guwahati, QP 1371 Goa to Mumbai, QP 1373 Bagdogra to Bengaluru, QP 1385 Mumbai to Bagdogra, and QP 1405 Hyderabad to Delhi. After thorough inspections, all aircraft were cleared.

IndiGo and Other Airlines' Measures

IndiGo issued statements regarding threats received for five flights: 6E17 Mumbai to Istanbul, 6E11 Delhi to Istanbul, 6E184 Jodhpur to Delhi, 6E108 Hyderabad to Chandigarh, and 6E58 Jeddah to Mumbai. Passengers on the Istanbul-bound flights disembarked safely. The Jodhpur-Delhi flight landed in Delhi without incident. For the Hyderabad-Chandigarh and Jeddah-Mumbai flights, aircraft were isolated upon landing and passengers disembarked safely.

An Alliance Air flight from Kochi to Bengaluru also received a bomb threat. With numerous flights affected by these threats, both passengers and staff experienced difficulties as planes were moved to isolation bays for security checks. The social media account responsible for some of these threats has been deactivated.

The civil aviation ministry is considering implementing strict measures to prevent hoax bomb threats against airlines. This may include placing individuals responsible for such threats on a no-fly list.