The spate of anonymous online hoax threats that have caused disruption to airline operations, which began in mid-October, has not been reduced despite repeated efforts. The flood of such threats continued on Sunday as well. The government tried hard to get social media platforms to filter such messages but failed. Meanwhile, more than 50 flights operated by various carriers were affected.

Indigo alone received “security-related alerts” for 18 flights during the day, two of which had to be rerouted to Ahmedabad and Mumbai, respectively: Pune-Jodhpur (6E 133) and Kozhikode-Dammam (6E 87). The mandatory requirement to undergo protocol checks on their aircraft caused schedule disruptions for other airlines, including Vistara and Akasa. Over 350 flights have been caught in the chaos of fake messages in the last 14 days, causing thousands of passengers to be delayed and the airlines to lose hundreds of crores of rupees.

After receiving a bomb threat just minutes before it was scheduled to land, a Goa-Vadodara flight was rerouted to Surat late Sunday night. Hours before Monday’s scheduled visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Vadodara, the alert was issued. As checks proceeded, the flight was grounded at Surat as of 9:30 p.m. on Sunday.

The government has warned social media companies like X and Meta that they will face harsh consequences if they do not stop spreading false information. “We are also taking the support of international agencies, law enforcement agencies, and the Intelligence Bureau to prevent these. We are planning to bring changes to two civil aviation laws. Those who resort to these kinds of activities will be punished severely and imposed a penalty,” aviation minister Rammohan Naidu said. Passengers and airlines are in a precarious situation due to the numerous threats.

“Safety and security of our customers and crew remain our highest priority. We regret any inconvenience caused to our customers and appreciate their understanding during this time,” IndiGo said.

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