Over 30 flights operated by various Indian airlines, including Vistara, Air India, and IndiGo, were subjected to bomb threats on Saturday, sparking widespread concern and significant security disruptions.
According to sources, both domestic and international flights were affected, with threats being received via social media.
The airlines targeted by these threats included Air India, IndiGo, Akasa Air, Vistara, SpiceJet, Star Air, and Alliance Air.
Several flights had to undergo stringent security protocols, with authorities taking immediate action.
This spate of threats follows a worrying trend that has escalated throughout the week, with at least 70 flights receiving similar bomb threats. Most of these have fortunately turned out to be hoaxes, but the frequent occurrences are causing alarm across the aviation sector.
On Saturday morning, bomb threats were issued for more than 30 flights operated by domestic airlines, sources revealed. These threats were primarily made through social media channels.
In one alarming instance, a note was discovered in the lavatory of a flight, claiming there was a bomb on board.
International flights targeted
Vistara, which was one of the airlines affected, reported bomb threats against five of its international flights: UK106 (Singapore to Mumbai), UK027 (Mumbai to Frankfurt), UK107 (Mumbai to Singapore), UK121 (Delhi to Bangkok), and UK131 (Mumbai to Colombo).
A spokesperson for Vistara said in a statement, "Following the protocol, all relevant authorities were promptly alerted, and all security procedures are being adhered to, as per the guidance from the authorities and security agencies."
In addition to these international flights, a domestic Vistara flight, UK624 from Udaipur to Mumbai, also received a security threat. Upon landing, the aircraft was moved to an isolation bay for a thorough security check after a note was found in the lavatory.
IndiGo flights also affected
IndiGo, another airline that faced multiple threats, reported security alerts for at least four of its flights: 6E17 (Mumbai to Istanbul), 6E11 (Delhi to Istanbul), 6E184 (Jodhpur to Delhi), and 6E108 (Hyderabad to Chandigarh).
In response to the threats, IndiGo issued a statement, saying, "We are aware of a situation involving flights from Mumbai and Delhi to Istanbul."
The airline confirmed that the Jodhpur to Delhi flight landed safely in the capital, and all passengers disembarked without incident.
Similarly, upon landing in Chandigarh, the Hyderabad to Chandigarh flight was isolated, and passengers were safely evacuated while authorities conducted thorough checks on the aircraft.
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