Terror in the air: Five flights from Indigo, one flight of Air India Express receive bomb threats

The scare of bomb threats targeting Indian airlines continues unabated as flights of IndiGo and Air India were forced to make emergency landings following such calls on October 19. 

IndiGo received bomb threats for four of its international flights - 6E 11, 6E 17, 6E 58, 6E 108, and one bomb threat for its domestic flight 6E 184. The airline said they are working closely with the authorities and taking all necessary precautions for the safety and security of passengers. 

“We are cognisant of a situation involving flight 6E 17 operating from Mumbai to Istanbul. The safety and security of our passengers and crew is our highest priority and we are working closely with the relevant authorities and taking all necessary precautions as per the guidelines,” IndiGo said, adding that the airline is cognisant of a situation involving flight 6E 11 operating from Delhi to Istanbul.  

Meanwhile, IndiGo flight 6E 184, operating from Jodhpur to Delhi received a security-related alert. “The aircraft has landed in Delhi and customers have disembarked the aircraft, we are coordination with the security agencies as per procedure. We sincerely regret any inconvenience this situation may have caused our customers and appreciate their understanding,” it said. 

A Jaipur-bound Air India Express flight from Dubai with 189 passengers on board received a bomb threat via email in the last 24 hours. The Air India Express flight landed at the Jaipur International Airport at 1:20 am on October 19 after which a thorough check was done by the security forces and nothing suspicious was found, said a police official, reported ANI. 

Indian airlines which have been hit by a series of bomb hoaxes, are struggling with the hefty financial toll from flight diversions and associated disruptions. Aviation experts say the cost of each diversion may reach up to Rs 13-17 lakh for every single incident. Besides causing panic and confusion among fliers these incidents highlight the need for a comprehensive plan to deal with such hoax calls.