Master plan to delay the flight by 7 hours ends with Unexpected Way.

A couple were arrested by the Bengaluru International Airport police in the early hours of Thursday in connection with a hoax call made to the Kempegowda International Airport to delay the take off of a Cochin-bound AirAsia flight. The flight was delayed by over six hours. Police said that they have detained Neha Gopinathan and Arjun, natives of Kerala who resided at the BTM Layout in South-East Bengaluru.

The duo were detained after investigations showed that all the other 180 passengers had boarded the flight on time and the couple had enquired several times over phone about the flight, stating that they were running late to reach the airport due to a problem with their taxi.

N Shivakumara, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) said that the police was informed about the threat call. “It was later confirmed that it was hoax and we have detained Neha and Arjun,” he said. The couple said they needed to be in their village near Cochin on Thursday morning since their engagement was scheduled in the morning.

Police said that one of their relatives called the airport from a public telephone booth in Cochin around 8.31 pm on Wednesday and claimed that there were explosives in the AirAsia flight to Cochin. The flight was scheduled to take-off by 8.45 pm but the operation was suspended on account of the hoax call. The explosive detection and disposal squad rushed to the scene and checked the flight and baggage of all the passengers till 1.30 am before the call was deemed a hoax. The flight finally took off from the Bengaluru airport around 3.30 am on Thursday.

Police said the couple are working as instructors at a private teaching academy and their engagement was scheduled for Thursday. They came to know that they can’t reach their destination in time for their engagement, they informed the same to their relatives, who planned the hoax call to ensure delay of the flight. A police team may be dispatched to Kerala if the couple fail to reveal who exactly made the hoax call. A case has been registered and further probe is underway.

News courtesy : The Indian Express

Related Topics:airasia Bangalore Airport Flight Delay

Asia

Singapore Airlines emergency landing after severe turbulence

A Singapore Airlines Boeing 777 Aircraft lands at Singapore Changi Airport (Incident aircraft not pictured)

One passenger passed on, while dozens of passengers were injured when a Singapore Airlines Boeing B777-300ER aircraft experienced severe turbulence while en route to Singapore from London Heathrow Airport. The aircraft diverted to Bangkok, and landed at 3:45pm Local time on 21 May 2024

The flight landed with 211 Passengers and 11 Crew members at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport. According to the Airport Director Kittipong Kittikachorn at a news conference, there were 7 passengers who suffered serious injuries, while a number of other passengers suffered injuries of varying seriousness.

It was also confirmed that the passenger who passed on was a 73 year old British Man. In a statement from Singapore Airlines ‘ As of 0505 hours Singapore Time on 22 May 2024, 79 passengers and 6 crew members from SQ321 remain in Bangkok’. In another statement, it was reported that a relief flight with 143 passengers and crew members arrived in Singapore at 0505 hours Singapore time on 22 May 2024.

According to aircraft tracking site FlightRadar24, the 16 Year Old Boeing B777-300ER aircraft descended sharply from 37,000 feet to 31,000 feet in a short time. It was also further reported by FlightRadar24 that the descent was commanded by Autopilot, instead of being caused by turbulence.

Shortly afterwards, the pilot declared an emergency by squeaking 7700 on the transponder, indicating an emergency situation onboard the aircraft. The Boeing 777 aircraft then diverted to Bangkok, instead of continuing on its planned journey to Singapore.

In view of this incident, Singapore Airlines mentioned in a statement that they are working with the relevant authorities on the investigation into this incident.

The National Transportation Safety Board, a US Government investigative agency for civil aviation incidents, is sending an accredited representative and 4 technical advisors to support the investigation by Singapore’s Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB). TSIB mentioned in a statement that it ‘is in touch with its Thai counterparts and will be deploying investigators to Bangkok’.

Boeing, the manufacturer of the Boeing B777 aircraft mentioned in a statement that they are in contact with Singapore Airlines regarding the ill-fated flight, and ‘stand ready to support them’.

This situation is developing, more details will be added when they become available.