Lok Sabha Question No. 576 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-28
Subject: Impact of Hoax Calls to Aviation Sector
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Shri Gaddigoudar Parvatagouda Chandanagouda, Shri Manish Tewari, Shri Hibi Eden, Smt. Sajda Ahmed, Shri  Selvaganapathi T.M., Shri Kuldeep Indora, Dr. Kirsan Namdeo, Adv. Chandra Shekhar, Prof. Sougata Ray, Shri Tejasvi Surya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 576

(To be answered on the 28 th  November 2024)

## IMPACT OF HOAX CALLS TO AVIATION SECTOR

## 576. SHRI GADDIGOUDAR

PARVATAGOUDA CHANDANAGOUDA SHRI MANISH TEWARI SHRI HIBI EDEN SMT SAJDA AHMED SHRI SELVAGANAPATHI T.M. SHRI KULDEEP INDORA DR. KIRSAN NAMDEO ADV. CHANDRA SHEKHAR PROF SOUGATA RAY SHRI TEJASVI SURYA

Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether it is true that hundreds of bomb hoax calls threatening the operations of International and Domestic air travel have been received during the last few months;
- (b) if so, the details of such threats and delays and diversions/cancellation reported due to such calls during the last three years and the current year, airport/year-wise;
- (c) the corrective steps being implemented by the Government to prevent hoax calls alongwith the success made in this regard alongwith the accountability fixed thereon;
- (d) the details of investigations that have been undertaken in these cases and the number of convictions/penalties imposed, year-wise;
- (e) whether the Government proposed to amend the Aviation Safety Act and add hoax caller to the no-fly list and if so, the details thereof;
- (f) the other legal measures being considered to identify and prosecute individuals making such threats;
- (g) the details of coordination efforts being made between airlines, airport authorities and law enforcement agencies to effectively mitigate the potential impact on flight operations;
- (h) the details of current mechanism and changes proposed in the mechanism for handling hoax calls and bomb threats to ensure passenger safety during air travel and speedy response for the same; and

## (i) the details of estimated loss incurred by the Airlines/Airports due to such fake calls?

## ANSWER

## Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar Mohol)

(a) & (b): Yes. A total of 1148 hoax bomb threat messages/calls have been received since August 2022 till 14 November 2024 threatening the operations of International and Domestic air travel. The details are as under: Year                        Number of bomb threat received Aug 2022 - Dec 2022         27 Jan 2023 - Dec 2023         122

Jan 2024 - 14 Nov 2024     999 (c) Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), aviation security regulator in the country has issued guidelines for objective assessment of threat. The indicative factor has been useful in reducing time taken by the BTAC during decision-making. Also, to reduce the overall time taken for convening BTAC to less than 5 minutes, virtual assembly of BTAC through pre-generated video link has been set up. Further, advisories for compulsory 10% of secondary ladder point check-in for all flights, strict monitoring of non-scheduled flight operations, enhanced security measures and surveillance at cargo terminals were issued. (d) 256 FIRs have been filed since January 2024 till 14 November 2024, out of which 163 FIRs have been filed during 14 October- 14 November 2024. 12 arrests have been made in view of hoax bomb threat since January 2024 till 14 November 2024. (e) & (f): It is being considered to amend the Aircraft (Security) Rules, 2023 to put hoax threat messenger in NO FLY LIST. It is also being considered to amend Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Civil Aviation for covering Aircraft in flight as well as on ground, airport etc. contingency plan (BTCP), a detailed contingency plan, is in place to handle such threats.

(g) to (i): Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), aviation security regulator in the country, has mandated robust protocols for handling such threats. Bomb threat As a part of BTCP, every airport has a designated Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC) which analyses the threat and act accordingly. The recent threats were hoax and no actual threat was detected at any of the airports/aircraft in India. As per assessment of BTAC, hoax bomb calls result in adversely affecting operations of some of the flights resulting in impact on airlines, airports and other stakeholders.

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