New Delhi: On Thursday, approximately 85 flights received new bomb threats, including 13 flights from Akasa Air and 20 flights each from Air India, IndiGo, and Vistara. In the past 11 days, nearly 260 flights operated by Indian carriers have faced similar threats.

An Akasa Air spokesperson confirmed that some flights operating on October 24 had received security alerts. "The Akasa Air Emergency Response teams are actively monitoring the situation and are in contact with security and regulatory authorities. We are adhering to all safety and security protocols in coordination with local agencies," the spokesperson stated. Other airlines have yet to release any statements regarding the threats.

In just over a week, about 260 Indian flights have been affected by hoax threats circulating on social media. The government has raised concerns with Meta and X about these false messages.

The IT Ministry criticized X and Meta on Wednesday, claiming that the situation constitutes "abetting crime." Officials from the IT ministry also questioned representatives from these platforms about their measures to prevent such alarming rumors from spreading.

Amendments to Laws; Perpetrators to Face No-Fly Restrictions In response to the disruption caused to passengers and the losses incurred by airlines due to fake threats, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu indicated that the ministry is seeking “serious solutions” to address the issue.

Naidu mentioned that the government is considering legislative amendments to address the crisis, including plans to revise the Aircraft Security Rules, allowing authorities to place perpetrators on a no-fly list. He emphasized that even though the threats have been identified as hoaxes, a strict protocol is followed by both the department and airlines. "These threats are taken very seriously, and there is an international procedure we must adhere to," he noted.