Over the past 48 hours, at least 10 Indian flights have been targeted with hoax bomb threats, causing significant delays and flight diversions. The disruptions began on Monday, with a sudden spike in threats across multiple airlines, including Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air.
On Tuesday, a bomb threat prompted Singapore’s Air Force to deploy two fighter jets to escort an Air India Express flight away from populated areas. The aircraft, traveling from Madurai, India, to Singapore, eventually landed safely at Changi Airport, where the Airport Police took charge of the situation. Singapore’s defense minister confirmed the incident, noting that investigations are underway.
Earlier that same day, an Air India flight from Delhi to Chicago was diverted to Iqaluit Airport in Canada as a precaution following a bomb threat. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is currently investigating the incident. The affected passengers were later flown to Chicago on a Canadian Air Force plane, while the original aircraft remains grounded.
The bomb threats initially surfaced on Monday when three international flights departing from Mumbai faced delays or diversions due to threats posted on an X (formerly Twitter) account. Authorities detained a teenager in connection with the posts. On Tuesday, seven additional flights were affected by threats issued from another X account, which has since been suspended. The posts tagged airlines, local police, and included flight numbers.
Air India has stated its commitment to cooperating with authorities to identify those responsible for the threats and is considering legal action to recover damages incurred. Hoax bomb threats are not new to Indian airlines, but the sudden surge since Monday remains unexplained.
In response to these incidents, each affected airport activated its Bomb Threat Assessment Committee to evaluate the severity of the threats and mobilized bomb disposal squads, sniffer dogs, police, ambulances, and other emergency services. Passengers, cabin baggage, checked luggage, and cargo were removed from the aircraft for thorough screening, followed by a search of the planes by engineering and security teams. These safety procedures caused significant delays and incurred considerable costs for airlines and security agencies.
The hoax threats also resulted in international agencies getting involved, as seen with Singapore and Canada. Officials from India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation and Bureau of Civil Aviation Security have not yet commented on the situation.
