'Indian Skies Absolutely Safe': Aviation Safety Body's Chief Assures Passengers Amid Surge In Hoax Bomb Threats

BCAS Director General Zulfiqar Hasan instructed the airlines to strictly adhere to safety and security protocols.

Representational Image | Amidst rising hoax bomb threats on Indian airlines, BCAS met with airline officials to address concerns. Airlines emphasised disruptions and security challenges during the festive season.

Amid a surge in hoax bomb threats targeting Indian airlines, officials from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) held a meeting with airline representatives at the agency's headquarters in Delhi on Saturday.

During the discussion, airline officials raised concerns about the disruptions caused by these hoax bomb threats and highlighted potential security challenges during the busy festive season, which could result in airport congestion.

BCAS Director General Zulfiqar Hasan instructed the airlines to strictly adhere to safety and security protocols. BCAS also reassured the airlines that they are coordinating with relevant agencies to address the root cause of these threats, news agency ANI reported.

"Indian skies are absolutely safe. The current protocol (to deal with the situation) is robust and is being strictly followed. We reassure passengers that they should fly without any fear and in fact, fly even more," says BCAS DG Zulfiqar Hasan to ANI https://t.co/arWiBTQTXB

— ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2024

After the meeting, Hasan emphasised that safety procedures for handling such threats are solid and passengers should feel confident flying. “Indian skies are absolutely safe. The current protocol (to deal with the situation) is robust and is being strictly followed,” Hasan said. "We reassure passengers that they should fly without any fear and in fact, fly even more."

Hoax Bomb Threats Causes Inconvenience And Delays

As per several media reports, in recent days, nearly 70 flights operated by Indian carriers have received hoax bomb threats, leading to flight diversions and re-screening of passengers, causing significant delays and inconvenience.

These hoax threats have also had severe financial consequences, with airline officials estimating losses running into crores of rupees.

Earlier this week, Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu stated that law enforcement agencies are actively investigating the bomb threats, and the government is closely monitoring the situation. In addition, the government has considered increasing the number of air marshals on flights, while investigators are examining if there is a pattern to the warnings.