994 hoax bomb threats to airlines till Nov 13 this year, says govt in RS

Airlines received 994 hoax bomb threats this year till November 13 and robust protocols are in place to handle such threats, the government has said.

To deal with the menace of hoax calls in a comprehensive manner, the civil aviation ministry plans to amend the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Civil Aviation Act, 1982, and Aircraft (Security) Rules, 2023.

A total of 1,143 hoax bomb threat messages/calls were received from August 2022 till November 13, 2024, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Muralidhar Mohol informed Rajya Sabha on November 25.

During the period from August 2022 to December 2022, there were 27 threats and the number rose to 122 last year.

From January to November 13, 2024, the total threats received stood at 994, as per the data shared by the minister in a written reply to the Upper House.

"The recent threats were hoax and no actual threat was detected at any of the airports/aircraft in India. As per assessment of BTAC, operations of some of the flights were affected," the minister said.

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has mandated robust protocols for handling such threats and Bomb Threat Contingency Plan (BTCP) is in place to handle such threats.

"As a part of BTCP, every airport has a designated Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC) which analyses the threat and act accordingly. As per assessment of BTAC, hoax bomb calls result in adversely affecting operations of some of the flights resulting in impact on airlines, airports and other stakeholders.

"BCAS has issued advisories to all the Civil Aviation Installations in the country to streamline security measures and to prevent any unlawful interference with civil aviation," Mohol said in another written reply.

As per Section 3(1)(d) of the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Civil Aviation Act, 1982, if any person communicates such information which he knows to be false so as to endanger the safety of an aircraft in flight, the person shall be punished with imprisonment for life and shall also be liable to fine.

"Amendment in the above Act and in Aircraft (Security) Rules, 2023 is under consultation to make it more comprehensive as per evolving threats," Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said in a separate written reply.

He also said no amendment to the Aircraft Act, 1934 is under consideration of the government.