According to government data, 680 fake calls were received in October, with IndiGo Airlines (197 fake calls) receiving the most, followed by Air India Airlines (191).
Between August 2022 and November 13, domestic airlines received 1,143 bomb threats, of which 994 were received this year, government data showed.
In a reply to MP Kartikeya Sharma in Parliament, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol on Wednesday said, “Bomb threat calls were received 27 times between August and December 2022. The number increased to 122 in 2023, while the current year itself witnessed a sharp rise, with 994 calls reported till mid-November 2024.” He also clarified that the fake threats received recently were from random stations and not from any specific location.
In a separate reply to MP John Brittas, Mohol said that fake bomb threats adversely affect the operation of some flights. Mohol also mentioned the steps and action taken by the authorities in this regard.
The aviation security regulator in the country, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, has mandated robust protocols to deal with such threats. He said a detailed contingency plan Bomb Threat Contingency Plan (BTCP) is in place to deal with such threats. As a part of the BTCP, each airport has a designated Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC) which analyses the threat and acts accordingly. To deal with fake bomb threats, BCAS has issued advisories to all civil aviation stakeholders in the country to ensure well-organised security measures and prevent any unlawful interference in civil aviation, he said.
IndiGo flights received the highest number of fake calls
According to government data, 680 fake calls were received in October, with IndiGo (197 fake calls) receiving the highest number, followed by Air India (191), Vistara (151), Akasa Air (67) and SpiceJet (29).
Responding to MP Sikandar Kumar, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said that although the government does not have any rules at present, the government is considering amending the Aircraft Act, 1934.
He said, “As per Section 3(1)(d) of the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Civil Aviation Safety Act, 1982, if any person communicates any information, which he knows to be false, which may endanger the safety of an aircraft in flight, he shall be punished with imprisonment for life and also pay a fine. Amendments to the above Act and the Aircraft (Safety) Rules, 2023 are being considered to make it more comprehensive in line with the emerging threats.”
