Hyderabad Airport Issues Statement After Bomb Threat Email; IndiGo Disruptions Continue Nationwide

The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad has issued a statement following a bomb threat email received on 7 December. The threat, sent to the airport’s customer support ID, referenced three incoming flights. Airport authorities confirmed that all three aircraft landed safely and that standard security protocols were promptly activated.

The flights mentioned in the email included IndiGo 6E 7178 from Kannur to Hyderabad, which landed safely at 10:50 pm on 7 December; Lufthansa LH 752 from Frankfurt, which landed at 2:00 am on 8 December; and British Airways BA 277 from Heathrow, which landed at 5:30 am on 8 December. RGIA stated that all necessary checks were conducted and investigations are underway.

The incident comes at a time of considerable disruption for IndiGo, which has faced widespread delays and cancellations for six consecutive days, leaving thousands of passengers stranded across the country. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers, demanding an explanation within 24 hours for the airline’s operational failures. Although IndiGo requested additional time, the regulator granted an extension only until 6:00 pm on 8 December, citing “significant lapses in planning, oversight and resource management.”

Nationwide flight operations have been severely impacted by IndiGo’s disruptions. Hyderabad’s RGIA has been among the worst affected airports, with as many as 400 IndiGo flights cancelled on 7 December alone. Delhi Airport also reported extensive disruptions, with 59 departures and 50 arrivals cancelled, bringing the total to 109 flights.

Kolkata experienced major cancellations as well, with 53 departures and 23 arrivals affected. Between midnight and 10 am, 14 of 43 scheduled departures and two arrivals were cancelled, while two flights recorded delays of over 30 minutes. Ahmedabad reported 27 cancellations—16 arrivals and 11 departures—though airport authorities clarified that terminal and airside operations remained normal. Out of 226 scheduled movements there, nearly one-third of IndiGo flights were cancelled.

In Pune, around 25 flights were cancelled, and IndiGo confirmed that 18 additional cancellations were planned for 8 December. In the Northeast, Agartala Airport reported six cancellations, affecting flights to Kolkata, Delhi, Guwahati, Bengaluru, and Imphal. South India also witnessed disruptions, with Trichy Airport reporting five arrivals and six departures cancelled; only one arrival and three departures had operated by Sunday afternoon.

As authorities continue investigating the bomb threat, the broader aviation sector remains under strain due to IndiGo’s continuing operational crisis and the widespread cancellations affecting major airports across India.