Airlines grapple with wave of bomb threats affecting over 25 flights today; check details

By Team Asianet Newsable | First Published Oct 25, 2024, 5:31 PM IST

This increase in hoax threats has not only disrupted flights but also imposed considerable operational challenges on carriers, requiring numerous flights to be redirected, delayed, or subjected to comprehensive searches.

More than 25 domestic and international flights operated by Indian carriers on Friday (October 25) received bomb threats, news agency PTI said citing sources. According to reports, the affected flights include IndiGo, Vistara, SpiceJet, and Air India, each facing multiple threats.

Among IndiGo flights, threats were reported for routes like Kozhikode to Dammam (6E 87), Udaipur to Delhi (6E 2099), Delhi to Istanbul (6E 11), Jeddah to Mumbai (6E 58), and others. A spokesperson for IndiGo highlighted that when Flight 6E 2099 from Udaipur to Delhi received a bomb threat, the airline swiftly followed security protocols.

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Among the IndiGo flights service, threats were for routes like: Kozhikode to Dammam (6E 87), Udaipur to Delhi (6E 2099), Delhi to Istanbul (6E 11), Jeddah to Mumbai (6E 58). An IndiGo representative noted that when a bomb threat was communicated to flight 6E 2099 from Udaipur to Delhi, the flight company acted as per the procedures.

"The aircraft was directed to the isolation bay before take-off, and all passengers were safely disembarked," the spokesperson confirmed.

In less than 2 weeks, Indian airlines have received over 275 bomb threats, most of which were issued through social media channels. This increase in hoax threats has not only disrupted flights but also imposed considerable operational challenges on carriers, requiring numerous flights to be redirected, delayed, or subjected to comprehensive searches.

Reacting to these threats, the Indian government has asked social media companies, including Meta and X, to cooperate with law enforcement by providing information on the sources of these messages. According to a person familiar with the meeting, the IT ministry has instructed social media platforms to "promptly supply the government and law enforcement agencies with details on individuals responsible for posting hoax messages."

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Recently, some of these threats have escalated into more severe situations. For instance, last Thursday, an Air India flight from Mumbai to London was intercepted by the Royal Air Force after a bomb threat was issued.

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