Indian airlines received 994 hoax bomb threat calls in 2024
Indian airlines have received a shocking 994 hoax bomb threat calls in 2024, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol told Parliament on Wednesday. The minister was replying to MP Kartikeya Sharma's question on how many such threats were reported by airline carriers. From August 2022 to November 13, 2024, a total of 1,143 hoax bomb threats were recorded, he revealed.
Breakdown of hoax bomb threat calls over the years
Breaking down the data further, Mohol stated that "as many as 27 hoax bomb threat calls were received between August and December 2022." This number saw a significant jump to 122 in 2023 and got worse in 2024. The current year alone witnessed a sharp rise, with nearly a thousand calls reported by mid-November. The minister also clarified that these threats are received randomly and are not concentrated in any specific location.
Aviation security measures against hoax bomb threats
To deal with such incidents, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has put in place stringent protocols under its Bomb Threat Contingency Plan (BTCP), Mohol said. Under the plan, every airport has a Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC) to assess and deal with these threats. "Hoax bomb calls disrupt flight operations, affecting airlines, airports, and other stakeholders," the minister added.
BCAS's initiatives to enhance security measures
The BCAS has also released advisories to simplify security protocols and avoid unlawful interference with civil aviation. "These measures aim to ensure passenger safety while minimizing operational disruptions caused by such malicious activities," Mohol concluded. Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam recently stated that the number of hoax bomb calls has now gone down. "Our security have tackled this (hoax bomb calls)...The numbers have now gone down and from the airport threat assessment committee also, the consultation process has been streamlined."
