Hoax bomb threats spark panic for Indian airlines

In recent days, Indian airlines have faced a wave of panic due to a series of hoax bomb threats. Air India, along with several other local airlines, has reported receiving numerous threats that have caused significant disruptions. For instance, an Air India Airbus A350-900 was seen landing at London Heathrow Airport amidst these alarming circumstances. Over the past 48 hours, at least ten flights originating from India have been subjected to these false bomb threats, resulting in long delays and necessary diversions. On Tuesday, Singapore's Air Force was called to escort an Air India Express flight away from populated areas following a bomb threat. Just hours earlier, an Air India flight traveling from Delhi to Chicago was forced to land at a Canadian airport as a precautionary measure. While hoax bomb threats are not uncommon in India, the sudden increase in such threats since Monday has raised concerns. Officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security have not responded to inquiries from the BBC regarding this situation. In addition to Air India, other airlines such as IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air have also received similar threats. On Monday, three international flights departing from Mumbai were either diverted or delayed after a user on X, formerly known as Twitter, posted threats. Authorities have since detained a teenager in connection with these incidents. On Tuesday, seven flights, including two operated by Air India, were impacted by threats issued from another X account, which has since been suspended. Screenshots of some of these posts revealed that the user had tagged both the airline and local police while mentioning specific flight numbers. Air India has stated that it is cooperating with authorities to identify those responsible for the threats and is considering legal action to recover damages incurred. Each Indian airport has a Bomb Threat Assessment Committee that evaluates the seriousness of the threat and determines the appropriate response. A bomb threat can lead to the involvement of various emergency services, including bomb disposal teams, sniffer dogs, ambulances, police, and medical personnel. Passengers, along with their cabin and check-in baggage, are offloaded from the aircraft, and all items are screened again. Engineering and security teams conduct thorough searches of the plane before it is cleared for takeoff. The resulting delays can lead to significant financial losses for airlines and security agencies. For flights bound for international destinations, this can also result in the involvement of international agencies, as seen in the cases of Singapore and Canada. On Tuesday, Singapore's defense minister reported that two fighter jets from the city-state were scrambled to escort the Air India Express flight before it landed safely at Changi Airport. This particular flight was en route from Madurai in India to Singapore. Once on the ground, the aircraft was handed over to the Airport Police, and investigations are currently ongoing. The aircraft later landed safely at Changi Airport. In Canada, the Air India flight to Chicago had to make an emergency landing at Iqaluit Airport as a precaution. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has confirmed that they are investigating the threat. Air India announced on Wednesday that a Canadian Air Force plane was transporting the passengers to Chicago. However, it remains unclear when the Air India flight will be permitted to take off again.