What's Happening with 50 Bomb Threats to Flights?

Bomb threats to flights have become alarmingly common. Despite authorities investigating and detaining suspects, the threats keep pouring in. Today, bomb threats were issued to a staggering 50 flights.

Unknown perpetrators are using various social media handles to send these threats. Indigo announced that 10 of its flights received such threats today. They rerouted all affected flights, conducted thorough checks, and resumed operations after ensuring safety.

Similarly, 10 Air India flights were also threatened, adding to the 30 flights that were targeted between yesterday and today. These flights experienced delays lasting several hours. In total, 120 flights have been targeted by bomb threats in just the past week, according to officials.

All major airlines, including Indigo and Air India, are facing bomb threats. On top of this, a Khalistani terrorist issued warnings urging people not to board Air India flights, further unsettling passengers.

The Cost of a Bomb Threat: Rs 3 Crores

Already operating with thin profits or losses, airlines are bearing the brunt of these bomb threats. To illustrate, let's look at one example:

A flight from Mumbai to New York carrying 147 passengers and crew received a bomb threat, forcing an emergency landing in Delhi. During such landings, airlines must drastically reduce the plane's weight, which meant releasing 100 tons of fuel. The cost? Nearly Rs 1 crore.

Additionally, the expenses for passenger accommodations, crew changes, and ground clearances amounted to Rs 3 crores in total. Besides the financial loss, countless hours were wasted. If one flight incurs this much loss, imagine the cumulative impact of all the flights affected over the past three days.

These added expenses translate into significant losses for airlines by the end of the financial year.