The recent spate of bomb threats targeting multiple flights has raised serious concerns among government officials, leading to urgent discussions across top aviation and security bodies.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) are actively assessing the situation. A Bomb Threat Assessment Committee has also been convened to evaluate the risks and determine necessary countermeasures.
In the last 48 hours, 12 bomb threats have been reported, disrupting air travel across India and grounding several flights. A meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport was held on Wednesday to address the issue, and Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu held discussions with ministry officials and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The Ministry is now working with law enforcement to identify the sources of these hoax calls, with plans to place the culprits on a “no-fly list” once they are apprehended.
The bomb threats began earlier this week, impacting multiple airlines, including Air India, IndiGo, Akasa Air, and SpiceJet. On Tuesday, an Air India flight from Delhi to Chicago was forced to land at a remote airport in Canada after receiving a bomb threat. This was followed by an emergency landing of an IndiGo flight from Saudi Arabia to Lucknow in Jaipur and a diversion of an Air India Express flight from Ayodhya.
Seven other flights were also affected by bomb threats on Tuesday, including Akasa Air and Alliance Air services. On Monday, two IndiGo flights and one Air India flight received similar threats, resulting in multiple diversions and emergency procedures.
Late on Wednesday, more flights were targeted. An IndiGo flight from Mumbai to Delhi was redirected to Ahmedabad, and an Akasa Air flight heading from Delhi to Bengaluru returned to the capital. Both aircraft were isolated upon landing, and all passengers were safely disembarked.
Security agencies are investigating the threats, with initial leads pointing to several suspects. Officials have also begun monitoring the dark web, where some of these threats may have originated.
The parliamentary committee also discussed related aviation issues, such as discrepancies in ticket prices and the regional air connectivity program. However, the immediate focus remains on addressing the series of bomb threats and ensuring passenger safety.