‘Do Not Fly 6E 6091’ Note Found On Delhi-Chennai IndiGo Flight, Takeoff Aborted; Threat Later Declared Hoax

New Delhi: A Chennai-bound IndiGo flight from Delhi was forced to abort the takeoff on Friday afternoon after a threatening message was discovered on board. The incident led the security services to exercise a full security drill at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. 

According to reports, the aircraft, operating as flight 6E 6091, had already pushed back from the parking bay and was lining up for take-off when the alert was raised. The flight was immediately returned to the bay, and a thorough inspection was carried out, which delayed the journey by several hours.

Despite the scare, the flight was eventually cleared for operations after security agencies established that the threat had no substance, allowing it to continue to the destination. The security officials have called the incident a hoax and initiated an investigation to ascertain the truth behind the threat. 

According to airport sources, the sequence of events began at around 3.30 pm when Air Traffic Control (ATC) received a call regarding a suspicious message linked to the Chennai-bound flight. At the time, the IndiGo aircraft had completed boarding and was preparing for departure.

The crew members reportedly found a handwritten note inside the rear lavatory of the aircraft. After the recovery of the note that read, “DO NOT FLY 6E 6091”, the pilots were immediately informed, and as per standard operating procedures, the take-off was called off. The aircraft was then towed back to the bay for mandatory security checks.

Threat Assessed As Non-Specific

The initial protocol suggested that the Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC) would be roped in to evaluate the situation. The sources stated that after a preliminary review of the wording, the committee did not take charge of the case. Since the note did not make any direct reference to a bomb or explosive device, the matter was classified as a non-specific threat.

Security personnel carried out a comprehensive search of the aircraft, the onboard baggage and the passenger manifest while the jet remained grounded at a safe bay. Only after all clearances were obtained from the concerned agencies was the aircraft allowed to resume the journey to Chennai.

It is said that the aircraft remained on the ground awaiting necessary clearances before it was finally declared safe. The threat was subsequently declared a hoax and the flight later completed the journey to Chennai without further incident.