Bomb threat to London-bound Air India flight proved hoax, passenger apprehended during check-in

Kochi, Jun 25 (PTI) A bomb threat to a London-bound Air India flight on Tuesday turned out to be a hoax and a 30-year-old passenger suspected of making the call was apprehended here by authorities when he and his family checked in to board the same AI 149 flight, an official said.

According to the police, the accused made the threat as he was unhappy over the “poor service” he got when he arrived here on an Air India flight.

The accused, Suhaib, is a marketing executive in London and is settled there with his family, police said, adding that he had come to Kerala on vacation.

Suhaib was booked for offences under IPC section 506 (criminal intimidation) and section 118(b) (knowingly spreads rumours or gives false alarm to mislead the police, fire brigade or any other essential service) and section 120(o) (causing nuisance and violation of public order) of the Kerala Police Act, according to the FIR.

“He has been taken to court for being remanded,” an officer of Nedumbassery police station said.

Earlier in the day, after the threat was received, security personnel conducted extensive checks on the aircraft and found no danger, allowing the flight to proceed as planned, a Cochin International Airport spokesperson said in a statement here.

According to the Nedumbassery station officer, the bomb threat call was received by the Air India call centre in Mumbai early on Tuesday for flight AI 149, scheduled to fly from Cochin to London Gatwick. The alert was promptly communicated to Air India here and Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) at 1.22 AM.

Following established protocols, a Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC) was immediately convened at CIAL. The threat was assessed and declared specific.

Thorough security checks were conducted by the Airport Security Group (ASG-CISF) and airline security personnel, also using inline baggage screening systems.

In accordance with the recommendations from the Cochin Airport BTAC, the aircraft was moved to an isolated aircraft parking point, and comprehensive security measures were undertaken.

The aircraft was thoroughly checked and subsequently cleared for flight. The check-in process for AI 149 was completed by 10.30 am. The flight left for its destination at 1.25 pm.

It was originally scheduled to depart at 11.50 am on Tuesday.

Efforts were made to identify the caller who reported the threat to the Mumbai call centre. Investigations revealed that the call was made by Suhaib, a native of Kondotty in Malappuram district, who was scheduled to travel to London on the same AI 149 flight.

Suhaib, along with his wife and daughter, was intercepted by ASG at Cochin Airport’s international departure terminal during check-in.

“He has since been handed over to the police for further questioning and legal action,” the spokesperson said in a statement.