Ten Indian flights receive bomb threats in 48 hours

October 16 -  Ten flights, including an Air India plane with 211 people from Delhi to Chicago, received bomb-threat messages through social media handles in the past 48 hours, prompting security agencies to reportedly undertake specific counter-terrorist drills at various airports, Foreign media reported.

The threats were issued to Air India Express flight IX765 from Jaipur to Bengaluru via Ayodhya, SpiceJet flight SG116 from Darbhanga to Mumbai, Akasa Air flight QP1373 from Bagdogra to Bengaluru, an Air India flight AI127 from Delhi to Chicago, IndiGo flight 6E98 from Dammam (Saudi Arabia) to Lucknow (6E 98), Alliance Air flight 9I650 from Amritsar to Dehradun and Air India Express flight IX684 from Madurai to Singapore.

The X handle has since been suspended by the platform after the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) wrote to cyber-security agencies, news agency PTI reported.

An Air India Express spokesperson told PTI in a statement that the airline, along with a few other operators, received a “specific” security threat from an unverified social media handle.

“In response, security protocols were promptly activated as directed by the government-appointed Bomb Threat Assessment Committee. The flight landed safely, and the aircraft will be released for operations following all mandated security procedures,” PTI quoted the spokesperson as saying.