Lok Sabha Question No. 2345 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-13
Subject: Security Threat Messages to Airlines
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Dr. Shashi Tharoor

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION Lok Sabha

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 2345 ( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  13th March 2025 )

## SECURITY THREAT MASSAGES TO AIRLINES

2345.    DR. SHASHI THAROOR Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (a) the details of threats directed at airlines received from January 2024 to till date, month-wise;
- (b) the number of flights delayed due to security threats directed at airlines received from January 2025 to till date, month-wise;
- (c) whether the Government has taken measures to filter threatening  calls  and  messages  more  efficiently  and  to  make punishment more stringent, including longer sentences and putting the offenders on no-fly lists; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of (Shri Murlidhar Mohol)

CIVIL  AVIATION

(a) to (d): As per Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), aviation security regulator in the country, a total of 745 hoax bomb threats have  been  received  by  Airline  Operators  from  January  2024  till 04.03.2025.  The  details  of  such  threat  messages  received  by airlines  is  attached  as  Annexure-A.  A  total  of  04  flights  were delayed  due  to  security  threat  directed  at  airlines  from  January 2025 to 04.03.2025. Details are attached at Annexure-B. BCAS has mandated robust protocols for handling such threats in coordination with  Law  Enforcement  Agencies,  Central  Security  Agencies,  CISF and  stakeholders,  leading  to  minimal  impact  on  flight  operations. Bomb Threat Contingency Plan (BTCP), a detailed contingency plan, is in place to handle such threats. As a part of BTCP, every airport has  a  designated  Bomb  Threat  Assessment  Committee  (BTAC) which analyses the threat and takes action. In order to deal  with hoax  bomb  threats,  BCAS  has  issued  advisories  to  all  the  Civil Aviation stakeholders in the country to ensure streamlined security measures  and  to  prevent  any  unlawful  interference  with  civil aviation.  Aircraft  (Security)  Amendment  Rules,  2024  has  been published in the Gazette of India on 09.12.2024 to put hoax bomb threat messengers in No Fly List.

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## Annexure-A

| S. No.         | Month                   | Threats received by Airlines   |
|----------------|-------------------------|--------------------------------|
| 2024           | 2024                    | 2024                           |
| 1              | January                 | 8                              |
| 2              | February                | 7                              |
| 3              | March                   | 2                              |
| 4              | April                   | 0                              |
| 5              | May                     | 5                              |
| 6              | June                    | 21                             |
| 7              | July                    | 2                              |
| 8              | August                  | 12                             |
| 9              | September               | 8                              |
| 10             | October                 | 615                            |
| 11             | November                | 45                             |
| 12             | December                | 3                              |
| Total 728 2025 | Total 728 2025          | Total 728 2025                 |
| 13.            | January                 | 6                              |
| 14             | February                | 9                              |
| 15             | March (upto 04.03.2025) | 2                              |
| Total          | Total                   | 17                             |
| Grand Total    | Grand Total             | 745                            |

| S. No.   | Month                    |   No. of flights delayed |
|----------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
| 1        | January                  |                        0 |
| 2        | February                 |                        3 |
| 3        | March (up to 04.03.2025) |                        1 |
| Total    | Total                    |                        4 |

## Annexure-B