Bomb threat emails disrupt three flights to Hyderabad in 12 Hours; one flight turns back mid-air

Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) reported three separate bomb threat emails within about 12 hours, all targeting international flights bound for the city. While two planes landed safely in Hyderabad after standard security procedures were implemented, one plane had to return to the departure airport.

Airport officials confirmed that the first threat was made on December 5, 2025, when an email alert of an explosive device was sent to the Hyderabad airport’s customer support ID for Air India flight AI 2879 flying from Delhi to Hyderabad.

The flight landed safely at 20.45 and airport security teams immediately began standard security checks. No threats found.

A second threatening email was received in the early hours of December 6, 2025; This email was aimed at British Airways flight BA 277 from Heathrow to Hyderabad. After the plane landed at 05.25, bomb detection and disposal teams carried out detailed inspections. The threat was later declared a hoax.

Just hours later, RGIA officials received a third bomb threat email targeting Kuwait Airways Flight KU 373, en route from Kuwait to Hyderabad. Unlike the previous two flights, KU 373 did not proceed to Hyderabad and returned to Kuwait as a precaution.

A series of emails triggered increased security checks at RGIA, including increased surveillance, enhanced screening of incoming aircraft and strengthened coordination with the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and local police.

Following a complaint by airport officials, RGIA police filed a case and launched an investigation into the source of the emails. “Anonymously sent emails are routed through a VPN, making them difficult to track. Senders use other mail services other than Gmail,” said an official from the RGIA police.

The barrage of threats comes amid a week of mounting aviation anxiety in Hyderabad. Earlier, on December 5, an Emirates flight from Dubai to Hyderabad had received a similar email threat but landed safely and was subsequently subjected to extensive checks. Earlier in the week, two IndiGo flights were also diverted following bomb threat messages.