Bomb threats hit Indian flights hard: The real cost of these hoax calls

These false bomb threats have caused significant financial losses for airlines, estimated in crores

The spate of hoax calls about bombs on Indian airlines continued for the sixth day running, forcing an Air India Express flight (IX-196) from Dubai to Jaipur to land at Jaipur International Airport on Saturday.

On Friday, a London-bound Vistara flight from Delhi was diverted to Frankfurt on Friday following a similar threat. The Tata Group airline said that the flight, UK17, landed safely at Frankfurt Airport, where mandatory security checks were conducted.

“Vistara flight UK17, operating from Delhi to London on October 18, 2024, received a security threat via social media. In line with established protocols, relevant authorities were notified immediately, and as a precautionary measure, the pilots chose to divert the flight to Frankfurt,” the spokesperson stated.

 

This incident is part of a wider pattern that has impacted nearly 40 flights operated by Indian carriers in recent days. These bomb threats, which have turned out to be false alarms, have had serious financial implications for the airlines, with losses estimated in crores of rupees.

Costly disruptions: Boeing 777 forced to dump fuel

In one of the more high-profile incidents, a Boeing 777 flying from Mumbai to New York’s JFK airport was diverted to Delhi on October 14 following a bomb threat received shortly after take-off. The plane, which was carrying 200 passengers and nearly 130 tonnes of jet fuel, was forced to dump over 100 tonnes of fuel to ensure a safe landing. This procedure alone cost the airline Rs 1 crore in fuel wastage, according to a report by The Times of India.

The overall financial damage of the hoax, including costs for unscheduled landing, passenger accommodations, aircraft grounding, and crew replacements, is projected to exceed Rs 3 crore.
 

Air India’s costly detour: Stranded in remote Canada

Another severe case occurred on October 15 when an Air India Boeing 777 en-route from Delhi to Chicago was diverted to Iqaluit, a remote town in Canada, due to a bomb threat. Over 200 passengers were stranded for three and a half days before eventually reaching Chicago. In response, Air India had to charter a Canadian Air Force plane to transport the stranded passengers, adding further to the spiralling costs.
 

Reports suggest that the daily rental cost of a Boeing 777 ranges between $17,000 and $20,000, and a diversion of cancellation means huge financial losses for the ailrines.

The total cost of this incident is estimated to exceed Rs 15-20 crore, according to The Times of India.

Govt cracks down: Stricter regulations in the works

Amid growing concern over the wave of hoax threats, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu has said that the government is working on amendments to civil aviation regulations to address the issue more effectively.

“We are taking these threats seriously and will implement strict actions against those responsible,” Naidu said. The ministry is reviewing international regulations and is considering placing individuals responsible for hoax bomb threats on a no-fly list, along with exploring legislative amendments if necessary.
 

Currently, actions against hoax bomb threats are handled by the police under existing criminal laws. However, the government is exploring stricter measures to deter such incidents and prevent the mounting financial and operational strain on the aviation industry.
 

With bomb threats continuing to disrupt flights and rack up financial losses, the Indian aviation sector is bracing for more challenges unless stricter preventive actions are put in place.