Airports and airlines across India have faced a significant challenge over the past two years because of hoax calls. With 45 such calls, Gujarat ranks eighth in the country.
A total of 1,116 bomb hoax calls have been reported between 2023 and 2024. According to sources from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), these calls have disrupted flights, caused delays, and left passengers in difficult situations.
Delhi, Mumbai, and Karnataka have been the worst-affected states, with 282, 244, and 99 hoax calls respectively.
Spike in hoax calls
The data shows a sharp rise in such incidents in 2024, with 994 hoax calls reported compared to just 122 in 2023. October alone accounted for 666 of these calls, followed by June with 116.
The hoax calls often come through fake email IDs and social media platforms, falsely claiming bombs on flights. These have caused severe disruptions in air travel schedules, resulting in long delays and significant inconvenience for passengers.
Among the states, Delhi tops the list with 282 hoax calls, followed by Mumbai (244), Karnataka (99), Kerala (59), Tamil Nadu (58), Telangana (48), West Bengal (46), and Gujarat (45).
Authorities are treating these incidents seriously as they pose a challenge to aviation safety and security, while causing financial and logistical setbacks.