Air India flight grounded in Kolkata after pilot receives hijack threat on paper slip

A Mumbai-bound Air India flight operating under the Vistara livery was grounded in Kolkata before its scheduled takeoff after the pilot reported a hijack threat on a paper slip, according to India Today. Passengers were evacuated from the aircraft, which was subsequently moved to an isolation bay as security authorities responded to the threat. The note containing the hijack threat was found in the aircraft’s lavatory, prompting the flight crew to alert the Air Traffic Control tower, India Today reports.

Security teams conducted a thorough search of the aircraft as part of the response, with authorities delaying the flight until the threat could be assessed. India Today notes that the incident occurred on a Wednesday morning and describes the evacuation of passengers as part of standard hijack-threat procedures, with the situation considered developing as the search proceeded.

Bhaskar English corroborates the sequence, reporting that the Air India flight from Kolkata to Mumbai was moved into an isolation bay shortly before its planned take-off as security agencies arrived to carry out checks in line with established procedures. The report specifies the evacuation of passengers but does not provide details about the nature of the threat, injuries, aircraft specifics, or the final outcome.

The material from Anadolu Ajansı shifts the framing to a different incident, describing a U.S. aircraft evacuated from a United Kingdom base following reports of a threat linked to Iran. Officials indicated that base-to-base movements are routine and declined to comment on the specifics of the movement, with no information about injuries, dates, or outcomes, and no identification of the aircraft involved.

Al Jazeera’s contribution describes diverting security concerns in a broader context, noting that two refueling tankers and several other aircraft were diverted from RAF Mildenhall to alternate locations due to security concerns tied to a threat from Iran. The report does not specify exact destinations, timing, or the types of the other aircraft, nor does it elaborate on the threat’s nature or broader operational impact beyond the general security context.

CBS News provides a parallel incident from Ontario International Airport, where a passenger overheard a FaceTime conversation containing bomb-related terms. Authorities conducted a security sweep, evacuated the aircraft and the east wing of Terminal 2, and later determined no explosive device was present and no crime had been committed. Passengers, including the detainee, reboarded and the flight proceeded after the all-clear, CBS News reports. IGN summarizes CBS News coverage, reiterating the Ontario International incident where a Frontier Airlines flight was evacuated due to the bomb-related conversation.

India Today carries the core reporting on the Kolkata grounding, noting that security teams conducted searches and that passengers were evacuated as part of standard hijack-threat procedures, with authorities delaying the flight for review. Bhaskar English’s additional detail about moving the aircraft into an isolation bay is included, while no further specifics on the threat, injuries, aircraft specifics, or final outcome are provided in their account.

Investing.com Canada adds a broader, unrelated note about aviation-security technology: BigBear.ai received European certification for its airport threat-detection software, marking a milestone for the company’s expansion in European aviation security standards. The Investing.com Canada piece also mentions operational impacts at Buenos Aires Ezeiza Airport with 17 days of runway restrictions during maintenance works, but does not provide details on flight status, injuries, or outcomes related to the Kolkata incident.