Indian Air Carriers on Massive Alert After 13 Bomb Threats in 48 Hours, MHA Steps In

New Delhi: A surge of bomb threats targeting nearly 13 flights over the past two days has put Indian airlines and security agencies on high alert. Earlier in the day, three flights - Akasa Air, IndiGo and Air India received bomb threats, which later turned out to be hoax calls. Air India flight AI 103 from Delhi to New York got a bomb threat.  “I placed explosives onboard of flight AI103. This is extremely serious. The plane must be evacuated as quickly as possible", the threat message sent to the Airline reportedly read. 

A Delhi-bound IndiGo flight from Mumbai was diverted to Ahmedabad following a bomb threat received via social media. The flight, carrying nearly 200 passengers and crew, had departed from Mumbai on Tuesday night, with the false threat being verified on Wednesday. 

In a separate incident, an Akasa Air flight bound for Bengaluru was forced to return to Delhi after receiving a bomb threat. Flight QP1335, with 184 passengers onboard, took off from Delhi before an emergency was declared at 1:15 pm. The plane made an emergency landing at Indira Gandhi International Airport, where the threat was eventually deemed a hoax.  

13 Hoax Calls in 48 Hours: Full List of 13 Flights That Received Bomb Threats

On Tuesday, seven flights received bomb threats, including a Delhi-Chicago Air India flight, an Air India Express flight from Jaipur to Bengaluru, an IndiGo flight from Dammam to Lucknow, a SpiceJet flight from Darbhanga to Mumbai, an Akasa Air flight from Siliguri to Bengaluru, an Alliance Air flight from Amritsar to Dehradun via Delhi, and an Air India Express flight from Madurai to Singapore.

The day before, on Monday, three other flights were similarly targeted with hoax bomb threats. These included an Air India flight from Mumbai to New York, an IndiGo flight bound for Muscat, and another IndiGo flight heading to Jeddah.  

1. Air India AI 103 Delhi to Newyork
2. IndiGo's 6E 651 Mumbai-Delhi Flight 
3. Bengaluru-bound Akasa Air flight QP 1335 
4. Air India Delhi-Chicago Flight
5. ⁠Dammam-Lucknow IndiGo Flight
6. ⁠Ayodhya-Bengaluru Air India Express
7. SpiceJet flight from Darbhanga to Mumbai (SG116)
8. Akasa Air flight from Bagdogra to Bengaluru (QP 1373)
9. Alliance Air Amritsar-Dehradun-Delhi flight (9I 650)
10. Air India Express flight (IX 684) from Madurai to Singapore
11. IndiGo flight 6E1275 bound for Muscat
12. IndiGo Flight 6E56 heading to Jeddah
13. Air India Flight ⁠AI119 from Mumbai to New York

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), in collaboration with cybersecurity agencies and local police, is actively working to track down those responsible for these threats.

Airlines Urge Govt to Take Action

Airlines are calling on the government to take decisive action against the ongoing issue of bomb threats, which not only disturb passengers but also disrupt flight schedules and lead to financial losses. In response to these incidents, Air India has announced that it will "consider legal action against those responsible to recover damages incurred by the airline."  

MHA Swings Into Action

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has intervened in the recent spate of bomb hoax calls affecting several airlines. A high-level meeting was convened, attended by senior officials from the Delhi Police, to address the issue.

Number of Sky Marshals to Increase, Hoax Callers to be Put in 'No-Fly List'

According to several media reports, there are plans to increase the number of sky marshals and to add hoax callers to the "no-fly list."  The Civil Aviation Ministry is reportedly collaborating with law enforcement agencies to track down the individuals responsible for these hoax calls.

Following assessments from intelligence agencies, discussions are underway to double the number of air marshals assigned to flights. Currently, a unit of National Security Guard (NSG) commandos serves as air marshals, primarily on international routes and select sensitive domestic routes. Sky marshals are armed security personnel in plain clothes who accompany passengers on flights to ensure their safety.   

What Happens When An Airline Receives a Bomb Threat Alert? 

Each Indian airport has a Bomb Threat Assessment Committee responsible for evaluating the seriousness of the threat and determining the appropriate response. When a threat is received, it may prompt the involvement of various emergency services, including bomb disposal squads, sniffer dogs, ambulances, police, and medical personnel. 

Passengers, along with their cabin and check-in baggage, are offloaded from the aircraft, which is then subject to thorough screening. Engineering and security teams conduct detailed inspections of the plane before it is cleared for takeoff again. Such incidents often lead to delays, costing airlines and security agencies thousands of dollars.

For flights destined for international locations, the situation can escalate further, involving international agencies. For instance, on Tuesday, Singapore’s defense minister reported that two fighter jets were "scrambled and escorted" an Air India Express flight from Madurai to Singapore as it approached Changi Airport. "Once on the ground, the aircraft was handed over to the Airport Police, and investigations are ongoing," stated Ng Eng Hen.

Similarly, in Canada, an Air India flight bound for Chicago made a precautionary landing at Iqaluit Airport due to a bomb threat, prompting the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to initiate an investigation into the matter.