An Air India flight travelling from Kolkata to Mumbai was delayed by nearly seven hours on November 11 after cabin crew discovered a handwritten hijack threat inside the aircraft’s lavatory shortly before departure. The warning prompted an immediate security response at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, although authorities later confirmed that the threat was a hoax.
Flight AI 2772, carrying 105 passengers, was scheduled to depart at approximately 10:30 a.m. According to Kolkata airport director Vikram Singh, crew members discovered the threatening note at 10:37 a.m., warning that the aircraft would be hijacked at 11:10 a.m. Airport authorities immediately activated established security procedures and moved the aircraft to an isolation bay for inspection.
All passengers were evacuated from the aircraft as security agencies conducted comprehensive checks to determine whether the warning posed a credible threat. Following the inspections, officials concluded that the message was a hoax and cleared the aircraft to resume operations. The flight eventually departed for Mumbai at 5:38 p.m., approximately seven hours behind schedule.
The incident follows a similar security scare earlier this month involving an IndiGo flight travelling from Bengaluru to Lucknow. That aircraft returned to Bengaluru after a passenger discovered a handwritten hijack threat in the lavatory. Passengers were subsequently deboarded, and security personnel inspected the aircraft.
The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security has established procedures for evaluating and responding to potential threats involving passenger aircraft and airport facilities. The latest incidents highlight the operational disruptions caused by threatening messages, even when subsequent investigations determine that no genuine security threat exists.
