A dramatic and unprecedented surge in hoax bomb threats targeting Indian airlines is wreaking havoc on flight schedules, diverting planes and causing widespread disruption.

A video posted on social media last week showed passengers draped in woollens, walking down the icy ladder of an Air India plane into the frigid air of Iqaluit, a remote city in Canada.

The 211 passengers on the Boeing 777, originally en route from Mumbai to Chicago, had been diverted early on 15 October due to a bomb threat.

“We have been stuck at the airport since 5am with 200 passengers… We have no concept what’s happening or what we are supposed to do next… We are completely stranded,” Harit Sachdeva, a passenger, posted on social media. He praised the “benevolent airport staff” and alleged Air India was not doing enough to inform the passengers.

Mr Sachdeva’s post captured the frustration and anxiety of passengers diverted to an unknown, remote goal. Hours later, a Canadian Air Force plane ended their ordeal by ferrying the stranded passengers to Chicago. Air India confirmed that the flight had been diverted to Iqaluit due to a “safety threat posted online”.

The threat was untrue, mirroring scores of similar hoaxes targeting India’s airlines so far this year. Last week alone, there were at least 90 threats, resulting in diversions, cancellations and delays. In June, 41 airports received hoax bomb threats via email in a single day, prompting heightened safety.

For context, between 2014 and 2017, authorities recorded 120 bomb hoax alerts at airports, with nearly half directed at Delhi and Mumbai, the country’s largest airports. This underscores the recurring nature of such threats in recent years, but this year’s surge has been sensational. (It’s challenging to recognize how India compares to other countries as data is not readily available.)

“I am deeply concerned over the recent disruptive acts targeting Indian airlines, affecting domestic and international operations. Such mischievous and unlawful actions are a matter of grave concern. I condemn attempts to compromise safety, safety and operational integrity of our aviation sector,” federal aviation minister, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, said.

So what is going on?

Hoax bomb threats targeting airlines are often linked to malicious intent, attention-seeking, mental health issues, disruption of business operations or a prank, experts declare. In 2018, a rash of jokes about bombs by airplane passengers in Indonesia led to flight disruptions. Even fliers have proved to be culprits: last year, a frustrated passenger tried to delay a SpiceJet flight by calling in a bomb hoax alert after missing his check-in at an airport in India’s Bihar.

These hoaxes complete up wreaking havoc in one of the globe’s fastest-growing aviation markets. More than 150 million passengers flew domestically in India last year, according to the civil aviation ministry. More than 3,000 flights arrive and depart every day in the country from more than 150 operational airports, including 33 international airports.

Last week’s hoaxes peaked even as India’s airlines carried 484,263 passengers on 14 October, a record on a single day for the country. India has just under 700 commercial passenger planes in service, and an order backlog of more than 1,700 planes, according to Rob Morris of Cirium, a consultancy. “All this would certainly render India the fastest growing commercial aircraft trade today,” says Mr Morris.

Consider the consequences of a bomb threat alert on an airline.

If the plane is in the air, it must divert to the nearest airport – like the Air India flight that diverted last week to Canada or a Frankfurt-bound Vistara flight from Mumbai that diverted to Turkey in September. Some involve fighter jets to be scrambled to escort planes reporting threats like what happened with a Heathrow-bound Air India flight over Norfolk and a Singapore-bound Air India Express last week.

Once on the ground, passengers disembark, and all baggage and cargo and catering undergo thorough searches. This procedure can receive several hours, and often the same crew cannot continue flying due to responsibility hour limitations. As a outcome, a replacement crew must be arranged, further prolonging the delay.

“All of this has significant expense and network implications. Every diverted or delayed flight incurs substantial outgoings, as grounded aircraft become money-losing assets. Delays navigator to cancellations, and schedules are thrown off settlement.” says Sidharath Kapur, an independent aviation specialist.

The dramatic rise in bomb threats on social media from anonymous accounts has complicated efforts to identify perpetrators. The motives remain ambiguous, as does whether the threats arrive from a single person, a throng, or are simply copycat acts.

Last week, Indian authorities arrested a 17-year-ancient school dropout for creating a social media account to issue such threats. His motivations remain ambiguous, but he is believed to have targeted four flights – three international – resulting in two delays, one diversion and one cancellation. Investigators suspect that some posts may have originated from London and Germany after tracing IP addresses.

Clearly, tracking down hoaxers presents a significant test. While Indian law mandates life imprisonment for threats to airport safety or service disruption, this punishment is too severe for hoax calls and would likely not withstand legal scrutiny. Reports recommend the government is considering placing offenders on a no-fly list and introducing recent laws that could impose a five-year prison term.

Ultimately, such hoax threats can factor solemn anxiety for passengers. “My aunt called to inquire if she should receive her booked flight given these threats. ‘Should I receive a train?’ she asked. I told her, ‘Please continue to fly’,” says an aviation consultant, who preferred to remain unnamed. The threats continue to disrupt lives and sow terror.

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