Ahmedabad: Passengers on Air India flight AI 172 from London Gatwick to Ahmedabad endured a harrowing experience on Tuesday after a bomb threat note was found in the aircraft’s lavatory shortly before landing. A full emergency was declared at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPI) at 8.13am, and the aircraft landed safely at 8.35am. A threat note scribbled on a piece of paper was discovered during the latter part of the flight, prompting an immediate alert to ground security agencies.
An SVPI airport spokesperson said, “A threat note was discovered in an aircraft en route from Gatwick (LGW) to Ahmedabad (AHM). As a precaution, a full emergency was declared at Ahmedabad Airport at 0813 hrs. The flight landed safely at 0835 hrs. Airport operations remain unaffected. SVPIA is actively coordinating with the airline and security agencies. The safety of passengers and staff remains our top priority.”
Upon landing, the aircraft was moved to an isolation bay, and passengers were escorted to a secured holding area within the terminal. Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) personnel carried out a detailed inspection of the aircraft, luggage, and cargo hold.
“As part of the investigation, handwriting samples of passengers were collected to match with the threat note. All belongings were scanned again, and passenger interviews were conducted by airport security and police personnel,” said a source privy to the development.
After nearly seven hours of thorough screening and security checks, the aircraft was declared safe at around 3.30pm. Authorities confirmed that the threat was a hoax. Passengers were allowed to leave the airport shortly thereafter.
While the incident caused considerable distress to those on board, airport operations continued as usual, and other flights remained unaffected.
An FIR was registered at the airport police station, and investigations are underway to identify the source of the note.
In 2024, India witnessed a sharp rise in bomb threats, with the ministry of civil aviation reporting 728 such incidents, 714 of which targeted domestic airlines. From April 2024 till April 2025, Ahmedabad airport saw 30 such incidents.