Air India flight contacts Karachi ATC after bomb threat en route to London

Karachi air traffic control was briefly put on alert after a bomb threat was reported on board Air India flight AI147, which was en route from Ahmedabad, India, to London’s Gatwick Airport.

The aircraft’s captain informed Pakistani authorities that the situation on board was under control, opting to continue the journey without diverting. The flight, which entered Pakistani airspace near Tharparkar, passed over Nawabshah and Kalat before crossing into Afghanistan.

Sources said the plane was in Pakistani airspace for approximately one hour and 35 minutes, covering nearly 700 nautical miles. It was briefly placed in a holding pattern before resuming its course due to some complexities, but no emergency landing was requested.

The flight carried on to its destination, adhering to standard aviation procedures that involve alerting the next air traffic control region when a security threat is reported. “The captain decided to handle the situation, reporting calm inside the cabin,” sources stated.

In cases involving bomb threats, international protocols dictate that affected planes, if forced to land, must be parked at least one kilometre away from other airport facilities in an isolated bay for security reasons.

More than 90 fake bomb threats have been made against flights operated by multiple Indian airlines this week, Indian media reported on Sunday, sparking fear among passengers, global delays, and taking a heavy toll on their schedules and costs.

At least 30 hoax threats were made on Saturday, and at least 20 more threats were made on Sunday. All flights landed safely, but the spate of threats has resulted in planes being diverted to Canada and Germany, and fighter jets were scrambled to escort aircraft in the skies above Britain and Singapore.

New Delhi's civil aviation authorities have not said how many threats have been received in the past week, but the Times of India and broadcaster News18 reported more than 70 hoaxes targeting both domestic and international flights since October 13.