Indian airlines have received more than 100 hoax bomb threats in a span of a few days, forcing planes to delay, reroute and make emergency landings – throwing the country’s aviation industry into costly disarray right before one of the biggest festivals of the year. The epidemic of hoax threats has targeted both international and domestic flights, causing chaos on long-haul trips headed for places such as New York.
“Whenever there is a bomb threat case happening, if it is through a call or if it is through social media or if it is through some other means, we have a strict protocol that we follow,” he added. But the threats – and their aftermath – have caused massive headaches for airlines.