In response to a recent surge in hoax threats targeting commercial flights, the Indian government is working on implementing stricter measures, including placing individuals responsible for such false threats on a no-fly list. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) had earlier proposed this action to the Union aviation ministry in June but had not yet identified the legal framework for enforcing it. The aviation ministry is now working to resolve this, and airlines are urging the government to address the issue due to its significant disruptions to flight schedules and passenger safety.
Several airlines, including Air India, are considering legal action to recover the financial damages caused by these hoaxes. Air India flights, in particular, have been affected, such as a Delhi-Chicago flight that was forced to divert to a remote Canadian town and a Mumbai-New York flight that returned to Delhi. Passengers are hopeful that the proposed no-fly list will act as a strong deterrent.
BCAS Director General Zulfiquar Hasan has assured the public that Indian airspace remains safe and that authorities are working diligently to trace those responsible for these threats. The police are collaborating nationwide to ensure strict legal action is taken.
Meanwhile, over 200 passengers from the Air India flight stranded in Iqaluit, Canada, due to a hoax threat, were transported to Chicago by the Royal Canadian Air Force. The flight had to be diverted due to the bomb threat, but operational constraints prevented the original crew from continuing the journey. Passengers were flown to their destination without their checked-in baggage, which will follow on a later flight.
