How hoax threats impact airlines

Brut India

Bomb threats are causing airlines to ramp up security checks. But what penalties do offenders face, and how does this financially impact the industry. ️

Transcript

00:00More than 90 flights have received bomb threats through emails and social media posts since

00:0414th October 2024.

00:07But all threats have also turned out to be fake.

00:10Some common phrases found in these threats included blood will spread everywhere, explosive

00:15devices, a bomb has been placed and you will all die, Indigo, Vistara, Air India, Akasa

00:21Air, Spicejet, Alliance Air and Star Air were the airlines that were targeted by these threats.

00:26A 17-year-old boy from Chhattisgarh was detained by the police for allegedly making threats

00:41against three flights that were leaving from Mumbai on October 14th.

00:45The investigation revealed that he had a dispute with his friend over money, after which he

00:49posted threats on social media.

00:51He was handed over to the Juvenile Justice Board and the police were investigating his

00:56involvement in other bomb threats targeting airlines.

01:03On 15th October, Air India flight AI-127 carrying over 200 passengers from Delhi to Chicago

01:10received a fake bomb threat resulting in an emergency landing in Canada.

01:14One of the passengers from the flight expressed his frustration about being stranded at the

01:18airport.

01:24Another Air India express flight from Dubai to Jaipur with 189 passengers on board received

01:30a bomb threat via email, but it also turned out to be fake after a thorough check was

01:35conducted at Jaipur airport.

01:37An official from the Ministry of Civil Aviation told the Indian Express that we know that

01:4299.9% of the threats will turn out to be fake, but no one wants to take a chance with the

01:48remaining 0.01%.

01:50We take bomb threats very seriously.

01:52When an aircraft receives a bomb threat, a detailed security process is followed.

01:57This involves diverting the plane to the nearest airport in case it's already in the air or

02:02moving it to a safer area in case it has not taken off yet, so that passengers can quickly

02:06exit the plane and checking can take place.

02:09Both the aircraft and the passengers' bags along with the cargo are thoroughly screened.

02:14This usually takes hours.

02:15A Star Air flight from Punjab was delayed for around 4 hours due to a fake bomb threat on

02:2019th October.

02:22These fake threat messages not only cause inconvenience to passengers and crew members,

02:27but also severely disrupt airline operations.

02:29When flights are diverted to other airports, especially overseas, airlines face extra costs

02:35for accommodation due to delays, transport and crew overtime.

02:39An aviation expert told Business Today TV that diverting a domestic flight could cost

02:43between Rs 13-17 lakh per hour, while international flights could cost 3-5 times more.

02:50An Air India Boeing 777 flying from Mumbai to New York was diverted to Delhi due to a

02:55bomb threat, costing the airline more than Rs 3 crore.

02:59The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security has been working with cyber security agencies

03:03and police to trace the culprits behind the threats.

03:06Some of the IP addresses used to send threats to flights were traced to locations abroad

03:11including Germany and London.

03:13However, the use of virtual private networks or VPNs by those posting the threats has made

03:19it challenging for central agencies to trace the exact locations.

03:22To address this, the agencies plan to contact VPN service providers to track the sources

03:28of these threats.

03:29So, we don't want these kinds of situations to repeat themselves.

03:32So, from the ministry, we are ensuring that some action is being taken on these kinds

03:37of issues so that they don't become precedent for future.

03:40Making fake bomb calls is considered a serious offence in India.

03:44Offenders could face up to 3 years in prison under section 353 of the Bharatiya Naisa Neta

03:49for causing fear or alarm to the public or up to 2 years under section 351 of the Bharatiya

03:55Naisa Neta if the threat is made anonymously.

03:58Additionally, offenders must pay the cost of services used during the emergencies as

04:03penalties.

04:04The officials of the Civil Aviation Ministry said that they are working with other ministries

04:08on the amendments to the Aircraft Act 1934 and Aircraft Rules 1937 and subordinate legislations

04:15to ensure 5-year imprisonment as well as placing offenders on the no-fly list.

04:20They added that while the suppression of unlawful acts against safety of Civil Aviation Act

04:25of 1982 allows for life imprisonment for threats to airport safety or disruptions, this punishment

04:32is too harsh for fake calls and may not hold up in court.

04:38For more UN videos visit www.un.org

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