Over the past few days, a series of bomb threats targeting more than 40 planes have caused significant disruptions across several airlines in India, including Air India, IndiGo, Akasa Air, Vistara, SpiceJet, Star Air, and Alliance Air. In response, airport security systems have been tightened, and numerous flights have been subjected to emergency protocols.
Among the affected flights, some had to make emergency landings. For instance, an Air India Express flight from Dubai to Jaipur made an emergency landing after receiving a bomb threat on Saturday morning. Fortunately, upon investigation, it was confirmed to be a hoax. The flight carried 189 passengers, all of whom were safely disembarked.
Also Read: Delhi Pollution: Toxic Foam Floats on Yamuna River in Kalindi Kunj; AQI at 293
Vistara's flight from Delhi to London was also diverted to Frankfurt due to a similar threat received on October 18. After a thorough security check, the flight resumed its journey to London. Acasa Air faced a bomb threat on its Bengaluru-to-Mumbai flight (QP 1366), prompting a security protocol that required passengers to be deboarded and screened.
Multiple IndiGo flights, including those from Mumbai and Delhi to Istanbul, as well as a flight from Jodhpur to Delhi, received threats. The Jodhpur-Delhi flight landed safely in Delhi and underwent inspection. Additionally, Vistara's Mumbai-to-Udaipur flight was also alerted, and the plane was inspected upon landing in Mumbai.
Despite these incidents, investigations revealed that all threats were false alarms. Nevertheless, the recurring nature of these hoaxes has impacted air travel, causing delays and heightened anxiety among passengers. The Ministry of Civil Aviation is now preparing to implement stricter security measures to address these threats and ensure the safety of travelers.