Over the past week, Indian airlines have faced 90 hoax bomb threats, causing significant disruptions to international travel as flights were diverted, grounded, or escorted by fighter jets. This unprecedented wave of fake bomb alerts has severely impacted India’s aviation sector, creating panic among travelers.
The threats targeted both domestic and international flights from Indian airports, with 30 reported on Saturday and another 20 on Sunday. Major Indian airlines like Air India, Vistara, SpiceJet, and IndiGo were the primary targets, but international carriers such as American Airlines, JetBlue, and Air New Zealand were also affected, leading to emergency landings and rerouting to countries like Turkey and Germany.
Authorities have yet to identify the source or motive behind these threats, which are mainly communicated through anonymous social media accounts and emails. On Sunday, Afghanistan denied a Vistara flight bound for Frankfurt permission for an emergency landing, forcing it to return to India.
India’s booming aviation industry, which saw 152 million domestic passengers in 2023, has been heavily impacted. The disruptions have resulted in extended travel delays and significant financial losses for airlines. For instance, an Air India flight from Delhi to Chicago had to divert to Iqaluit, Canada, due to a bomb threat, stranding 200 passengers for three days.
Fighter jets have escorted some Indian flights in response to threats in countries like Singapore and the UK. India’s civil aviation minister, K Ram Mohan Naidu, called the situation a “matter of grave concern,” pledging that those responsible would face prosecution. This surge in threats is unlike anything seen before; between 2014 and 2017, only 120 bomb threats were reported.
So far, authorities have arrested one minor and introduced no-fly list penalties for individuals involved in hoaxes. An aviation security official noted that the threats follow a pattern, often appearing in rapid succession after the first report. While the motives remain unclear, the intention appears to be to disrupt the aviation sector, induce panic, and keep security agencies on high alert.
