Air India's Delhi-Chicago Flight Diverted To Canada After Bomb Threat, 5th Such Incident In 2 Days

Air India flight AI127 was diverted to Iqaluit Airport in Canada following a bomb threat. This brought the number of flight threat incidents to five besides a bomb threat issued to Ayodhya Airport.

An Air India flight en route from Delhi to Chicago was diverted to Iqaluit Airport in Canada following a bomb threat, marking the fifth such incident in two days besides an airport threat. The aircraft, operating as flight AI127, faced a security threat online and was redirected as a precautionary measure. "The aircraft and passengers are being re-screened as per the laid-down security protocol," an Air India statement informed. The airline has activated its agencies at the airport to assist passengers until the journey can resume.

According to FlightRadar24, the Boeing 777 aircraft took off from Delhi at 3:00 am (IST) and was scheduled to land in Chicago at 7:00 am (US time). As of 5:38 pm (IST), the flight remains grounded at the Canadian airport, awaiting clearance to proceed.

On Monday, another Air India flight, operating from Mumbai to New York, was diverted to Delhi following a bomb threat. After thorough inspections, no suspicious items were found on the aircraft. The airline acknowledged that recent threats directed at Air India and other local airlines had been hoaxes. However, it stressed that, "As a responsible airline operator, all threats are taken seriously." The carrier is cooperating with authorities to identify the perpetrators and is considering legal action to recover damages.

In a separate incident, an IndiGo flight from Dammam, Saudi Arabia, to Lucknow made an emergency landing in Jaipur following a bomb threat. "The plane is at the airport's isolation bay, and a security check is ongoing," an airport official said, as per news agency PTI. IndiGo stated, "We are cognisant of a situation involving flight 6E 98 from Dammam to Lucknow. The safety and security of our passengers and crew is our highest priority, and we are working closely with the relevant authorities."

Bomb Threat At Ayodhya Airport; 3 Flight Threats On Monday

Additionally, an Air India Express flight from Ayodhya to Bengaluru was delayed on Tuesday due to a bomb threat at the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhya Dham. The threat originated from an unverified social media account, prompting the activation of security protocols by the Bomb Threat Assessment Committee. "The flight landed safely, and the aircraft will be released for operations following all mandated security procedures," an Air India Express spokesperson told PTI. The Boeing 737-Max 8, carrying 132 passengers, was delayed.

On Monday, three international flights originating from Mumbai were targeted with bomb threats. This included the Mumbai-New York Air India flight which was diverted to Delhi, and two IndiGo flights—bound for Muscat and Jeddah. After thorough inspections by security agencies, no suspicious items were found on any of the aircraft. The Mumbai-Muscat flight departed after a seven-hour delay, while the Mumbai-Jeddah flight took off 11 hours behind schedule, PTI reported.

NDTV reported sources in the airlines as stressing that the threats are impacting finances but they continue to take the threats seriously and follow the laid out security norms to ensure safety.