An Air India flight travelling from Birmingham to New Delhi was diverted to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday after receiving a bomb threat, the airline confirmed on Sunday. Flight AI-114 landed safely in Riyadh, where a full security inspection was carried out.
“Flight AI114 from Birmingham to Delhi on June 21 received a bomb threat and was consequently diverted to Riyadh, where it landed safely and completed security checks,” an Air India spokesperson said. The aircraft underwent thorough inspection, and all necessary checks were completed before clearance.
On the same day, another flight—Air India Express IX1014 from Delhi to Patna—was diverted to Varanasi due to adverse weather conditions. A spokesperson for the airline said the aircraft was temporarily rerouted because of poor weather, and once conditions improved, the flight resumed and landed safely in Patna. “We regret the delay caused by circumstances beyond our control,” the spokesperson added.
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Meanwhile, on Friday, Air India cancelled several international and domestic flights due to a combination of factors, including enhanced maintenance checks, bad weather, and airspace restrictions. The affected international services included AI906 from Dubai to Chennai, AI308 from Delhi to Melbourne, AI309 from Melbourne to Delhi, and AI2204 from Dubai to Hyderabad. Domestic flights that were cancelled included AI874 from Pune to Delhi, AI456 from Ahmedabad to Delhi, AI2872 from Hyderabad to Mumbai, and AI571 from Chennai to Mumbai.
In response to the disruptions, Air India stated that full refunds or complimentary rescheduling options were being offered to all affected passengers. “We regret the inconvenience caused to passengers. Our colleagues on ground are making alternative arrangements for them to fly to their respective destinations at the earliest,” the airline said in a statement.
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