Bomb Threat Hoaxes Trigger Alarm for Indian Airlines

Over the past 48 hours, numerous Indian flights have experienced delays and diversions due to at least 10 hoax bomb threats.

A spate of hoax bomb threats has disrupted Indian airlines, with at least 10 flights affected in the past two days, causing significant delays and logistical challenges. On Tuesday, Singapore's Air Force deployed fighter jets to escort an Air India Express flight due to a bomb threat, while earlier, an Air India flight en route from Delhi to Chicago was redirected to Canada as a precaution. The sudden surge in threats, although a recurring issue, remains unexplained since it began Monday. Officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and Bureau of Civil Aviation Security have not commented. Apart from Air India, carriers like IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air were also targets. Monday saw three international flights from Mumbai disrupted after threats on social media. A teenager has been detained in connection. On Tuesday, seven flights faced threats from another social media account, now suspended. Air India expressed commitment to work with authorities to identify and potentially prosecute those responsible for the threats. Bomb Threat Assessment Committees at Indian airports respond to such threats, which can result in significant operational delays and involvement from international agencies. Singapore's defense minister confirmed the safe handling of the Air India Express flight, while Canadian police are investigating a similar incident with an Air India flight redirected to Iqaluit. Follow-up measures are ongoing, including transport arrangements for affected passengers.