Hoax call menace: Over 20 flights receive bomb threats today; IndiGo, Vistara, Akasa Air receive most calls

The menace of hoax calls to airlines continued on October 20 with more than 20 flights of IndiGo, Akasa Air and Vistara flights receiving fresh bomb threats. IndiGo released a series of press statement sharing details of the bomb threat received by the flights. 

In its statement, IndiGo confirmed that it is aware of specific situations involving flights 6E 112 from Goa to Ahmedabad, 6E 133 from Pune to Jodhpur, and 6E 58 from Jeddah to Mumbai. 

“We are cognisant of a situation involving flight 6E 112 operating from Goa to Ahmedabad,” read the airline’s statement. It added that the airline is aware of “a situation involving flight 6E 133 operating from Pune to Jodhpur as well”.  

“We are cognisant of a situation involving flight 6E 58 operating from Jeddah to Mumbai. 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,” the statement added. 

Vistara said it got security threats for six flights -- UK25 (Delhi to Frankfurt), UK106 (Singapore to Mumbai), UK146 (Bali to Delhi), UK116 (Singapore to Delhi), UK110 (Singapore to Pune) and UK107 (Mumbai to Singapore). 

“In line with the protocols, all relevant authorities were immediately notified, and security procedures, as directed by them, are being carried out,” a Vistara spokesperson said in a statement. 

An Akasa Air spokesperson said some of its flights received security alerts on Sunday. 

Emergency response teams are monitoring the situation and are in touch with the security and regulatory authorities, the spokesperson said in a statement. 

“We are following all safety and security procedures in coordination with local authorities,” the spokesperson added. 

There were threats for at least six Air India flights, there was no immediate comment from the airline. 

So far this week, more than 90 flights have received bomb threats and most of them have turned out to be hoaxes. 

The latest series of hoax calls comes a day after the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) met with airline CEOs on October 19 after multiple flights received at least 70 hoax bomb threats in the past week. 

With a significant number of flights receiving threats, passengers as well as staff at some of the airports faced a tough time since the planes concerned were moved to isolation bays and security protocol had to be followed.

The handle on X, through which some of the bomb threats to flights were issued, has been deactivated.

Meanwhile, the civil aviation ministry plans to put in place strict norms to prevent incidents of hoax bomb threats to airlines, including placing the perpetrators in the no-fly list.

Meanwhile, Karnataka’s Sambra Airport in Belagavi received a threat through email, News18 reported. The director of Sambra Airport, Thyagaraj, received the threat letter via email, written by an unidentified individual who threatened to blow up a Chennai-Belagavi flight, triggering panic in the area, the report added. 

An FIR has been registered at the Marihal Police Station in Belagavi, said officials, adding that a probe is underway to trace the origin of the bomb threat. 

(With inputs from PTI)