Wave of Hoax Threats Disrupts Indian Flights, Impacting Routes to London, NYC, and Singapore

Key Highlights:

• Multiple Indian airlines, including Air India, IndiGo, and Vistara, received hoax threats targeting both domestic and international flights.
• Air India received threats for flights from Mumbai to London, Delhi to New York, Chennai to Singapore, and two domestic flights.
• Authorities are preparing stricter regulations to deal with hoax threats, including placing offenders on a no-fly list.

Overview of the Situation

A series of hoax threat messages have caused widespread disruption to Indian flights, affecting multiple carriers such as Air India, IndiGo, and Vistara. On Thursday, Air India alone faced threats for five flights, including international routes to London, New York, and Singapore. Additionally, IndiGo and Vistara received threats for four more flights. Since the beginning of this week, nearly 40 flights have been targeted by hoax messages.

Flight Disruptions

Air India’s flights to New York (AI 119) and Singapore landed without any issues, while the Mumbai-London flight (AI 129) was temporarily held in the air before being cleared to land at Heathrow after informing UK authorities of a non-specific threat. Similar cases involved Vistara flights from Frankfurt to Mumbai and Paris to Delhi, and IndiGo flights from Lucknow to Pune and Istanbul to Mumbai, all of which landed safely after thorough inspections.

In a previous incident, an Air India flight from Delhi to Chicago was diverted to Canada after receiving a hoax threat, leading to additional delays and diversions.

Government and Airline Response

The Union aviation ministry is working on new, stringent regulations to curb this growing menace. These include placing hoax callers on a no-fly list and issuing harsher penalties. Authorities are consulting the law department and the International Civil Aviation Organisation to formulate these new rules.

Airlines are urging the government to act swiftly, as these false alarms are not only causing significant safety scares but also imposing heavy financial burdens. In some cases, foreign governments, like Singapore, have scrambled jets in response to these threats, highlighting the global ramifications.

Conclusion

The surge of hoax threats has created chaos for Indian airlines, prompting urgent action from both government authorities and carriers. The implementation of new regulations aims to deter such incidents in the future, ensuring safety and minimizing disruptions for passengers and airlines alike.