Airlines may face $15,000-$20,000 per hour losses due to bomb hoax flight diversions

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.

“It is difficult to peg the exact cost for each diversion, as expenses vary depending on factors like distance, fuel, passenger load, additional logistics, and airport charges. However, a domestic flight diversion can typically cost between $15,000 to $20,000 per hour (Rs 13-17 lakh), with international flights potentially incurring three to five times that amount,” an aviation industry expert told Business Today TV.

In addition to these direct costs, airlines also face other financial strains due to the disruption of their flight schedules, which compounds delays in subsequent flights and damages ‘passenger goodwill.’ When diversions involve third countries, crisis management becomes even more complex and costly, according to airline officials.

On Tuesday, October 16, at least seven flights were impacted by bomb threats, including Air India’s Delhi-Chicago flight, which was diverted to Iqaluit, a remote Canadian town. IndiGo’s Dammam-Lucknow flight was also re-routed to Jaipur. This followed a similar incident on Monday when Air India’s Mumbai-New York flight had to return to Delhi due to a hoax call.

The Mumbai airport police have registered a case against an unidentified social media user who posted a bomb threat concerning two SpiceJet flights. The user, identified as “Psychward” on X (formerly Twitter), claimed explosives were planted on flights SEJ116 and SEJ124, prompting heightened security at the airport.

The growing number of bomb hoaxes not only poses a security risk but also significantly increases financial pressures on airlines, which have to bear the costs of diversions while managing the ripple effects on operations and passenger relations.