India’s airline industry is facing unprecedented turmoil after a wave of 90 hoax bomb threats in the past week, leading to widespread international travel disruption. Multiple domestic and international flights have been grounded, rerouted, or forced into emergency landings, some under fighter jet escort, as airlines scramble to respond to the escalating crisis.
The fake bomb threats, sent primarily through social media platforms and anonymous emails, have targeted major Indian airlines including Air India, Vistara, SpiceJet, and IndiGo, as well as international carriers like American Airlines and JetBlue. On Sunday alone, 30 hoax threats were reported, and authorities remain unable to determine the source or motive behind the surge.
The impact has been severe, with flights rerouted to third countries such as Turkey and Germany, and passengers left stranded for days. Last week, an Air India flight from Delhi to Chicago was forced to land in the remote Canadian town of Iqaluit, where passengers were grounded for three days.
India’s civil aviation minister, K Ram Mohan Naidu, called the situation a “matter of grave concern,” vowing that those responsible for the threats would be identified and prosecuted. Despite one arrest, authorities continue to struggle to contain the ongoing disruption.