In recent months, Indian airlines have been facing a surge in fake bomb threats, creating chaos for passengers and leading to enormous financial losses for aviation companies. One such incident occurred on October 18, 2024, when three international Vistara flights received bomb threats through social media. Though these turned out to be hoaxes, the damage was already done. Aviation experts are now calling these incidents a form of financial terrorism, intended to disrupt operations and drain resources.
Huge Costs of Emergency Procedures
Handling fake bomb threats is not just about ensuring safety but also involves significant expenses. For example, when an Air India Boeing 777 flying from Mumbai to New York received a bomb threat, it had to make an emergency landing in Delhi just two hours after takeoff. This change of route came at a steep cost to the airline.
The aircraft, carrying 340-350 tonnes including passengers, cargo, and fuel, was required to dump 100 tonnes of jet fuel to land safely. This resulted in a direct loss of ₹1 crore worth of fuel. Additionally, the airline had to rearrange passenger accommodations, offer compensation for missed connections, conduct thorough aircraft inspections, and deploy a new crew, pushing the total losses from the single incident to over ₹3 crore.
Airlines Suffer ₹60-80 Crore in Losses Due to Fake Calls
The problem is far from isolated. Between October 14 and October 17, 2024, there were about 40 fake bomb threats targeting various airlines, leading to disruptions and emergency procedures. Industry insiders estimate that airlines suffered cumulative losses of ₹60 to ₹80 crore during this short period. Apart from operational costs, these disruptions also caused delays in return flights, increasing the financial burden.
Safety vs. Financial Losses
Senior officials in the aviation industry argue that every threat must be taken seriously to protect passengers. However, the financial strain on airlines is immense, especially during the busy festive season. Airlines are forced to conduct full security checks and take precautionary measures, no matter how unreliable the threat seems.
Providing hotel accommodations and meals for hundreds of passengers, grounding planes for inspections, and rescheduling flight crews are just some of the added costs. Each false threat also causes a ripple effect by disturbing the flight schedule and impacting customer experience.
Is This Financial Terrorism?
Aviation experts and officials believe that these hoax bomb threats go beyond mere mischief, labelling them acts of financial terrorism. Such threats aim to create fear, disrupt operations, and inflict financial losses on companies. They stress that strict actions are needed to tackle these incidents and prevent further misuse.
Tougher Regulations Needed
Given the financial impact of these incidents, there is growing pressure on authorities to crack down on the offenders. Airline officials are urging the government to implement stricter laws to deter fake bomb threats and protect the industry from recurring losses. Many believe that increased vigilance and coordination between security agencies and airlines are essential to stop such activities in the future.
As airlines gear up for the festive season, their focus is on maintaining smooth operations without compromising passenger safety. However, handling fake threats continues to be a complex challenge, adding significant financial stress to an already competitive industry.
