On Tuesday, airports across India received hoax bomb threats, affecting operations and causing flight delays. Security measures have been heightened at 41 airports, including major locations like Delhi and Chennai. The threats, later confirmed as hoaxes, led to extensive searches but no bombs were found.
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India's Airports Increase Security after Threats
India faced a security scare this Tuesday when 41 airports across the nation received bomb threat emails.
The threats prompted an immediate response from airport authorities, resulting in increased security checks and delayed flights, especially for those bound for Dubai from Delhi and Chennai.
According to the Times of India, Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport officials were alerted to a potential bomb on a Dubai-bound flight. This caused a significant delay, even though the threat was later debunked as a hoax.
Around the same time, a similar situation unfolded at Chennai airport, delaying an Emirates flight scheduled for the morning.
In Coimbatore, the international airport also received a disturbing email warning of bombs that could explode at any moment. The airport's director, S Senthil Valavan, noted that while the threat wasn't specific, it led to a full-scale alert with bomb squads and sniffer dogs in action.
Despite the tension, flight operations were not disrupted.
The situation was mirrored at Patna and Jaipur airports, where authorities conducted thorough searches. The Jaipur police, after a complete check, confirmed that nothing suspicious was found.
Likewise, heightened security measures were also reported at Vadodara airport following a similar threat received in the afternoon.
Across India, these incidents have put airport security teams on high vigilance, though all reported threats have turned out to be false alarms.
Officials continue to investigate the source of these emails and have assured the public that every precaution is being taken to ensure safety and minimize disruption to travel.
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India Set for Major Aviation Growth
Global airlines are planning to add more flights and expand their operations in India, expecting it to become a leading travel destination in the next ten years.
This prediction was shared at a major aviation conference in Dubai, which attracted airline CEOs and aircraft leasing companies from around the world.
Reuters mentioned that India's domestic air travel market is projected to double by 2030, reaching 300 million passengers, up from 152 million in 2023. Similarly, international passenger numbers are expected to grow from 64 million to 160 million by 2030.
To capitalize on this growth, airlines like Turkish Airlines and Hungary-based Wizz Air are planning new routes to India.
The optimism in India's market potential is also prompting Indian airlines such as IndiGo and Air India to order hundreds of new planes. The government is supporting this expansion by investing about $12 billion in new and upgraded airports.
Despite the excitement, some international airlines like Emirates and Turkish Airlines are voicing frustrations over limited flight capacity rights in India, as the government focuses on strengthening domestic carriers.
This growth phase is largely driven by India's large diaspora and a new generation of wealthier, young Indian travelers.
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