Airlines face financial strain amid rising bomb scares
The recent increase in bomb threats, despite being hoaxes, has highlighted the vulnerabilities and the extensive impact of such mischievous acts on the airline industry. These incidents not only cause operational delays and financial losses but also induce significant stress and anxiety among passengers and crew.
In recent days, there has been a surge in bomb scares on flights, causing significant disruptions to airline operations and passenger schedules. The latest incident involved Akasa Air's Delhi-Mumbai flight, which was carrying 186 passengers.
Due to a bomb threat on board, the flight was diverted to Ahmedabad for security reasons. Although these threats have consistently turned out to be hoaxes, the ramifications for airlines, passengers, and other stakeholders are considerable.
The detection of a bomb threat triggers a complex chain of events that disrupts the entire ecosystem supporting airline operations. Upon detecting a threat, the flight crew immediately informs the pilot, who then notifies the air traffic controller (ATC).
The ATC subsequently informs the airport authorities, who mobilise various resources including security officials, bomb disposal squads, sniffer dogs, and in some cases, emergency evacuation systems.
The affected plane is then directed to an isolation bay where all passengers and their luggage undergo thorough screening. This process, which takes a minimum of three hours, not only inconveniences passengers and crew but also causes significant anxiety.
The delay of one flight due to a bomb threat can have a cascading effect on other flights. For instance, if an aircraft is scheduled to operate on six sectors in a day, a delay caused by a bomb threat on the first flight will result in delays for the subsequent five flights. With each flight carrying around 200 passengers, the impact extends to approximately 1,200 passengers.
These delays and disruptions impose substantial financial costs on airlines. They may need to provide refunds and refreshments to passengers who opt not to fly, compensate those who miss connecting flights, reschedule flights, and offer hotel accommodations for passengers flying the next day. These measures, though necessary, result in significant financial losses for the airline.
The recent spate of bomb threats includes several notable incidents:
2nd June: A handwritten note threatening a bomb was found on an airsickness bag on Vistara's Paris-Mumbai flight.
1st June: A female caller reported to Delhi Airport that her husband was carrying a bomb on Indigo's Varanasi-Delhi flight.
28th May: A tissue paper with the message "bomb@5:30" was discovered in the lavatory of Indigo's Delhi-Varanasi flight.
15th May: Another tissue paper with the word "bomb" was found in the lavatory of an Air India Express Delhi-Vadodara flight.
All these incidents were confirmed as hoaxes, but they still caused widespread distress and operational disruption.
Due to a bomb threat on board, the flight was diverted to Ahmedabad for security reasons. Although these threats have consistently turned out to be hoaxes, the ramifications for airlines, passengers, and other stakeholders are considerable.
The detection of a bomb threat triggers a complex chain of events that disrupts the entire ecosystem supporting airline operations. Upon detecting a threat, the flight crew immediately informs the pilot, who then notifies the air traffic controller (ATC).
The ATC subsequently informs the airport authorities, who mobilise various resources including security officials, bomb disposal squads, sniffer dogs, and in some cases, emergency evacuation systems.
The affected plane is then directed to an isolation bay where all passengers and their luggage undergo thorough screening. This process, which takes a minimum of three hours, not only inconveniences passengers and crew but also causes significant anxiety.
The delay of one flight due to a bomb threat can have a cascading effect on other flights. For instance, if an aircraft is scheduled to operate on six sectors in a day, a delay caused by a bomb threat on the first flight will result in delays for the subsequent five flights. With each flight carrying around 200 passengers, the impact extends to approximately 1,200 passengers.
These delays and disruptions impose substantial financial costs on airlines. They may need to provide refunds and refreshments to passengers who opt not to fly, compensate those who miss connecting flights, reschedule flights, and offer hotel accommodations for passengers flying the next day. These measures, though necessary, result in significant financial losses for the airline.
The recent spate of bomb threats includes several notable incidents:
2nd June: A handwritten note threatening a bomb was found on an airsickness bag on Vistara's Paris-Mumbai flight.
1st June: A female caller reported to Delhi Airport that her husband was carrying a bomb on Indigo's Varanasi-Delhi flight.
28th May: A tissue paper with the message "bomb@5:30" was discovered in the lavatory of Indigo's Delhi-Varanasi flight.
15th May: Another tissue paper with the word "bomb" was found in the lavatory of an Air India Express Delhi-Vadodara flight.
All these incidents were confirmed as hoaxes, but they still caused widespread distress and operational disruption.
(Edited by : Jomy Jos Pullokaran)
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