BUSINESS
At least seven additional flights received hoax threat messages on Wednesday, raising the total to nearly 20 over the past three days. Among the affected flights, an IndiGo Riyadh-Mumbai flight (6E 74) was diverted to Muscat, and another IndiGo Mumbai-Delhi flight (6E 651) was rerouted to Ahmedabad. Meanwhile, Akasa’s Delhi-Bengaluru flight (QP 1335) returned to Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. In response, the Union home and aviation ministries are coordinating efforts to address the issue and prosecute those responsible. These threats have disrupted numerous flights, inconvenienced thousands of passengers during the festive travel season, and caused significant financial losses to airlines. Union aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu, expressing deep concern, chaired a high-level meeting on Monday with officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), and the home ministry. “I am closely monitoring the situation, and our law enforcement agencies are actively pursuing all cases. Mumbai Police has already arrested a minor responsible for bomb threats on three flights. All those involved will be identified and prosecuted. We are committed to enhancing security measures and maintaining close coordination with global security agencies,” Naidu said on X (formerly Twitter). During a briefing to the parliamentary standing committee on transport, officials revealed that some progress has been made in identifying those behind the threats. Apart from legal action, the government is working on placing individuals responsible for hoax messages targeting aviation infrastructure and flights on the no-fly list. The BCAS had proposed this measure in June, though the relevant legal framework is still being worked out. Security at airports and on flights has been tightened, with sky marshals deployed, according to sources. BCAS Director-General Zulfiquar Hasan emphasized that all law enforcement agencies are collaborating on the matter. “The perpetrators behind every hoax call will be identified and severely punished. Mumbai Police has arrested a minor responsible for 30%-40% of the calls. While we regret the inconvenience caused to passengers, we are following all protocols, and our skies remain completely safe,” Hasan said. Air India is also considering legal action to recover the damages incurred due to the disruptions. Wednesday’s affected flights included four from IndiGo , two from SpiceJet , and one from Akasa. Meanwhile, over 200 passengers stranded in Iqaluit, a remote town in Canada, after an Air India Delhi-Chicago flight was diverted following a threat, were finally flown to their destination on a Royal Canadian Air Force Airbus A330. The crew of AI 127 could not continue the flight due to duty time limits, and Iqaluit lacked sufficient accommodations for all passengers. Air India has sent an alternate crew to bring the aircraft and checked baggage to the U.S. Canadian Minister of National Defence Bill Blair confirmed on X that the Canadian Armed Forces had assisted in airlifting the passengers. Air India expressed gratitude to the Canadian authorities and Iqaluit airport for their support during the disruption. None
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