Threat messages for flights: Hoax callers to be put on no-fly list, additional sky marshals to be deployed

NEW DELHI: Amid a fresh spike in threats for commercial flights , government says it is working on putting people issuing such hoax messages on the no fly list . The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security ( BCAS ) had this June proposed to the Union aviation ministry that people people making hoax threats to flights and other aviation-linked infra be put on no fly list. “BCAS had not identified the relevant law to base this move on. We will work it out,” a senior aviation ministry official said.

Security has been needed up at airports and on flights by additional deployment of sky marshals, say sources. They add agencies are close on heels of culprits behind the recent hoax calls and that they could be nabbed soon. "Some people have been zeroed in on," sources said.

Airlines are urging government to crack down on this menace that troubles passengers; disrupts schedules and costs a lot. Air India will now “consider legal action against those responsible to recover damages incurred by the airline.” Both airlines and passengers hope the aviation ministry can put in place the deterrence of no fly list for people making such calls at the earliest.

Wednesday — third day running for such threats — has already seen two flights getting these threats. An Akasa Delhi-Bangalore flight returned to Delhi and an IndiGo Mumbai-Delhi flight was diverted to Ahmedabad. Monday and Tuesday, between them saw at least 10 flights getting such threats, including for Air India Delhi-Chicago which had to divert to a remote town in Canada and AI Mumbai-New York which diverted to Delhi.

BCAS DG Zulfiquar Hasan has sounded a stern warning to all those issuing these hoax messages. “All standard operating procedures were followed. All our flights are safe and the Indian skies are absolutely safe. We are confident of tracing all those behind these threat messages and very strict action under law will be taken against all of them. Police across the country is cooperating in ensuring this happens.” Hassan ensured air travellers amid growing threats that “there is zero risk in flying.”

Meanwhile, 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 finally reached their destination on a Royal Canadian Air Force Airbus A330 Wednesday 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.”