Indian flights diverted or grounded following bomb threats

Singapore's air force sent two fighter jets to escort an Air India Express plane bound for the city-state

An Air India Express flight from Delhi to Chicago was diverted after the airline received bomb threats. Reuters

India's airline services were disrupted after at least 10 flights were grounded in the past 48 hours following bomb threats, leading to long delays and diversions.

Flight AI127, an Air India Boeing 777 flight operating from New Delhi to Chicago, took off at 3am local time and was scheduled to land at 7am but was diverted to Canada’s Iqaluit Airport, according to the airline.

"The aircraft and passengers are being rescreened as per the laid down security protocol. Air India has activated agencies at the airport to assist the passengers until such time that their journey can resume," the airline said.

The other international flights that received bomb threats were the IndiGo Airlines' Dammam-Lucknow flight and Air India Express's flight from Madurai to Singapore.

Singapore’s air force mobilised two fighter jets and escorted the Air India Express AXB684 away from populated areas after the airline received a bomb threat in an email, Singapore’s Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said.

The plane landed safely at Changi Airport at 10.04pm on Tuesday, where Singapore’s ground-based air defence systems and explosive disposal team were activated.

“Once on the ground, the plane was handed to the airport police,” Mr Hen said. No threatening items were found, Singaporean police said.

IndiGo said it was aware of "a situation involving flight 6E 98 from Dammam, Saudi Arabia, to Lucknow” and was taking necessary precautions.

“The safety and security of our passengers and crew is our highest priority and we are working closely with the relevant authorities and taking all necessary precautions as per the guidelines," IndiGo said.

The domestic flights of Air India Express on the Ayodhya-Bengaluru route, a SpiceJet flight from Darbhanga to Mumbai, an Akasa Air flight from Bagdogra to Bengaluru, and an Alliance Air Amritsar-Dehradun-Delhi flight also received bomb threats and were grounded for security checks.

The SpiceJet said the aircraft landed safely at Mumbai airport and was directed to an isolation bay as a precautionary measure but was cleared for further operations after thorough security checks.

Akasa Air said all passengers were evacuated and local authorities undertook the necessary safety and security checks after which the aircraft was operational again.

The fake bomb threats were made from an unverified X account. India’s Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, the regulatory authority of civil aviation security under the federal government, is investigating.

These came after three international flights to the US and the Middle East from India were diverted or grounded on Monday after Mumbai International Airport received bomb threats.

An Air India flight carrying 239 passengers from Mumbai to New York was diverted to the capital. New Delhi and two IndiGo flights faced similar threats.