Hoax bomb threats: Which airline has been hit the hardest?

So far this week, more than 70 domestic and international flights of Indian airlines have received bomb threats, with all of them turning out to be hoaxes.

Indian airlines have been facing a wave of hoax bomb threats this week, with over 70 domestic and international flights targeted. The threats, which have caused widespread disruptions and forced emergency procedures, have mostly turned out to be false alarms. However, they have left airlines and authorities scrambling to ensure passenger safety, while investigating the sources of the threats.

Chandigarh: Passengers of the IndiGo flight that received a bomb threat come out of the Chandigarh airport, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. (PTI)

Among the airlines most affected are Air India Express, Air India, Vistara, IndiGo, and Akasa Air, with each reporting multiple security scares. Air India Express was particularly hit hard, with at least seven of their flights receiving bomb threats. At least two Air India flights also received similar threats. An Air India flight from Mumbai to London had to be escorted by a Royal Air Force fighter jet to Heathrow Airport after a bomb threat, which was later confirmed to be a hoax.

Vistara, another major carrier, saw six of its flights targeted. Five of these were international routes, including flights from Singapore, Frankfurt, and Colombo to India. One Vistara flight from Udaipur to Mumbai was taken to an isolation bay upon landing after a threatening note was found in the lavatory, prompting thorough security checks. The airline followed protocol by notifying authorities immediately, a spokesperson said.

IndiGo, the country’s largest airline by market share, reported threats to five of its flights, including two international services to Istanbul. The airline confirmed that all passengers on the affected flights disembarked safely, and the aircraft were inspected as per security guidelines. Akasa Air also faced bomb threats on five of its flights, including routes to Bengaluru, Guwahati, and Mumbai, but all aircraft were cleared after inspections.

Cost of hoax bomb threat

According to a report by The Times of India, the total cost of the hoax bomb threats, including fuel dumping, unscheduled landing charges, accommodation for passengers, grounding of the aircraft, and crew replacements, is expected to exceed ₹3 crore ($360,000).

As hoax bomb threats continue to disrupt airline operations, the government is preparing to introduce stricter measures to curb such incidents. Civil aviation minister K. Rammohan Naidu said that the ministry is considering amending regulations to impose stricter penalties, including placing perpetrators on no-fly lists.

Currently, Indian aviation regulations have no specific provisions for dealing with bomb threats originating from outside sources, such as social media.