Bomb Hoax Call Delays MDLR Flights

NEW DELHI: Passengers of two flights of MDLR Airlines, travelling from Delhi to Chandigarh and Chandigarh to Delhi, had a harrowing time, after their flights were delayed due to a bomb-cum-hijack hoax.

Sources said a call was received at the MDLR call centre at about 4.45 pm, saying that one of their flight would either be bombed or hijacked. Since there were only two flights operating at that time, both of them were put through anti-sabotage checks. The Kolkata- Ranchi-Delhi-Chandigarh flight, 9H 172, with about 10 passengers, landed in Delhi at 5.10 pm, a short while before airport agencies were informed of the call. So, hijack and bomb drills were implemented and the aircraft was taken to a remote bay for inspection. All passengers were asked to deboard and their baggage were also off-loaded and put through multiple checks.

Simultaneously, about 30 passengers who were to board the flight for Chandigarh from Delhi, and were in the bus, were also called back. Their registered baggage were also checked. The flight that was scheduled to depart from Delhi at 7.30 pm, finally took off at 9 pm. On the other hand, the Dharamshala-Chandigarh-Delhi flight, 9H 104, that was scheduled to leave Chandigarh at 5.20 pm, was also put through rigorous checks before it finally took off for Delhi later at night. The aircraft had 23 passengers on board. The airline spokesperson said that the Delhi-Chandigarh flight had been cancelled and the ticket money had been refunded.

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