New Delhi:
In recent months, there has been a significant increase in fake bomb threats targeting flights and airports.
On a recent Tuesday, Delhi Airport received an email threatening to bomb a flight from Delhi to Dubai, followed by a similar threat for an IndiGo flight from Chennai to Mumbai.
The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) is taking these incidents seriously and is proposing strict measures to deter such hoaxes.
Five-Year Air Travel Ban Proposal
BCAS Chief Zulfiqar Hassan highlighted the rise in fake calls, noting the inconvenience to passengers and the wasted time and resources for security agencies.
In response, BCAS is proposing a five-year ban on air travel for those found guilty of making fake bomb threats.
This proposal aims to significantly deter individuals from engaging in such disruptive behavior.
Currently, individuals found guilty of making such threats face a ban of 3 to 6 months, imposed by the concerned airline.
The new proposal seeks to extend this ban to all airlines for a duration of five years,
providing a stronger deterrent against such actions.
Challenges in Investigation
BCAS also noted the challenges in investigating these threats. Many threats are made via email, calls, or notes left in airplane toilets.
While technological advancements help trace threats made by email or phone, identifying the authors of handwritten notes is more challenging.
In such cases,
security agencies are resorting to matching the handwriting of passengers to identify the culprits.
