Vijayawada airport receives hoax bomb threat call

Vijayawada: Vijayawada International Airport received a bomb threat call late on Monday night, which turned out to be a hoax.

According to airport authorities, Air India ticketing counter received a call from an unknown male at about 9:35 p.m., stating that a bomb had been placed in the airport.

Later, he made two blank calls. The person subsequently called up the same Air India ticketing counter, saying it was wrong information and advised them not to panic. He even offered an apology for doing so.

However, airport authorities initiated



all standard operating procedures to check the entire premises of the airport, with security personnel and the bomb disposal squad looking for the possible bomb.

During the period, a Delhi bound Air India flight was getting ready for departure. Airport authorities de-boarded all the passengers and thoroughly checked the aircraft. Passengers later boarded and the plane took off nearly one-and-a-half hour late, instead of the scheduled time of 9:10 p.m., according to Vijayawada International Airport director M. Lakshmi Kanth Reddy.