On November 11, an Air India flight carrying 105 passengers was delayed in Kolkata before its 10:20 a.m. departure to Mumbai. However, a cabin crew member found a handwritten threat inside the airplane’s lavatory around 10:37 a.m., as the aircraft waited at the holding point shortly before takeoff.
According to a report by The Times of India, the note had a cryptic message that read, “Flight AI 2772 will be hijacked at 11:11.” The hijacking threat led to an extensive security operation at Kolkata airport and delayed the flight’s departure by more than seven hours. The reference to 11:11 raised questions among security personnel, who were unsure whether it referred to the time or the date of November 11.
Immediately after learning about the cryptic threat, airport authorities activated the hijack response protocol. The aircraft aborted its departure, made a U-turn, and was moved to the isolation bay for security inspection.
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Passengers and aircraft undergo extensive security checks
All 105 travelers were asked to leave the aircraft, and their hand luggage was screened again via X-ray machines. Security crew also examined the checked-in bags after the passengers were asked to identify their belongings. Meanwhile, the aircraft remained in the isolation bay, where security teams inspected the cabin for suspicious items or potential threats.
An airport official speaking to The Times of India said that no suspicious item was found during the security checks. After completing the security procedures, passengers and crew members were sent back to the aircraft and were cleared for departure. Flight AI 2772 then took off for Mumbai at 5:38 pm, marking a delay of seven hours from its scheduled departure time.
This aviation threat has raised concerns about repeated threats at Kolkata airport, as this is not the first time in recent years that authorities have found a threat.
Another security alert was found on October 8 after staff members received a bomb threat via email, prompting security checks. On October 23, a handwritten note was found near the women’s washroom, claiming a bomb was being planted at the aircraft gate. This again led to security checks. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security has been investigating the latest threat and is also looking into the repeated security warnings.
That said, share your thoughts about the security warning elaborated above in the comment section and stay tuned to Travel to Recovery for more such updates.
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