Bomb hoax: Canadian Air Force A330 flying AI passengers from Iqaluit to Chicago

NEW DELHI: The over 200 passengers stuck in Canada’s remote Iqaluit town after Air India ’s Delhi-Chicago flight was diverted there on Tuesday following a threat message , have left for their destination on a Royal Canadian Air Force Airbus A330 sans their checked-in baggage. The crew operating AI 127 from Delhi to Chicago could not operate their aircraft out of the remote sub-Arctic town due to flight duty time limitations. The small town did not have adequate hotels or other facilities for the over 220 passengers and crew of AI 127 so a request was made to fly out at least the passengers to their destination. Alternate AI crew will be sent to Iqaluit which will then take the aircraft along with baggage to the US.

“With passengers from Air India flight 127 stranded in Iqaluit, after an emergency landing due to a bomb threat, we have approved a request to have Canadian Armed Forces provide an airlift to get passengers safely to their destination in Chicago,” Canadian minister of national defence Bill Blair said on X (former Twitter) early on Wednesday morning (India time).

In a statement Wednesday morning, AI said passengers of AI 127 are on their way to Chicago. “Passengers are being ferried on a Canadian Air Force aircraft that took off from Iqaluit at 3.54 am (UTC) and is expected to land in Chicago at 7.48 am (UTC). We thank the Canadian authorities and Iqaluit airport for their support and assistance extended to passengers and Air India during this unexpected disruption.”

In the last two days, hoax threat messages have been received for over 10 flights of Indian carriers, including two long hauls of Air India that had to be diverted and international flights of IndiGo and Air India Express apart from domestic ones of Akasa and SpiceJet.

Regarding AI 127 diversion, an airline spokesperson had said: “Flight AI127 operating from Delhi to Chicago on October 15, 2024, was the subject of a security threat posted online and, as a precautionary measure, has landed at Iqaluit Airport in Canada. The aircraft and passengers are being re-screened as per the laid down security protocol. Air India has activated agencies at the airport to assist the passengers until such time that their journey can resume.”

“Air India notes that it, and other local airlines, have been subject to a number of threats in recent days. Though all have subsequently been found to be hoaxes, as a responsible airline operator all threats are taken seriously. The inconvenience to customers is sincerely regretted. Air India is extending all cooperation to authorities in identifying the perpetrators of such threats to ensure that they are held accountable for the disruption and inconvenience caused to passengers, and will consider legal action against those responsible to recover damages incurred by the airline,” the airline had added.