Air India Mumbai-New York Flight Returns After Bomb Threat Note Found in Toilet

Mumbai: An Air India flight from Mumbai to New York was forced to return to Mumbai just eight hours after takeoff following a hoax bomb threat.

The aircraft, carrying 320 passengers and 19 crew members, was flying over Azerbaijan when officials discovered a threat note inside a toilet.

“A potential security threat was detected mid-flight on AI119, operating Mumbai-New York (JFK) today, 10 March 2025. After following the necessary protocols, the flight air-returned to Mumbai in the interest of the safety and security of all on board,” Air India said in a statement.

The flight took off from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport at 2 AM and was en route to John F. Kennedy Airport in New York when it turned back, landing in Mumbai around 10:25 AM.

Also Read: 'Crappy': Air India Flight Returns To Chicago Following Clogged Toilets In 10-Hr Fiasco

After landing, bomb-detection procedures were carried out, and the threat was confirmed to be a hoax.

An Air India statement said passengers were provided with hotel accommodation and assistance, and the flight has been rescheduled to 5 AM the next day.

“The flight has been rescheduled to operate at 0500 hrs on 11 March 2025, and all passengers have been offered hotel accommodation, meals, and other assistance until then,” the spokesperson said. “Our colleagues on the ground are working to minimize the inconvenience caused to our passengers by this disruption. As always, Air India accords the highest priority to the safety of passengers and crew,” the spokesperson added.

Earlier, on March 6, an Air India flight from Chicago to Delhi was forced to return to its departure city due to a technical issue.

While the airline cited a “technical issue” as the reason for the return, the actual cause of the disruption was clogged toilets.