Lucknow-bound IndiGo flight emergency returns to Bengaluru after hijack threat note found onboard
An IndiGo flight from Bengaluru to Lucknow returned to the airport after a handwritten hijack threat was found in the lavatory. Security agencies conducted a thorough inspection and declared the threat a hoax, allowing the investigation to proceed.
Why it matters
Highlights aviation security protocols and the significant operational impact of hoax threats on air travel.
Bengaluru A Lucknow-bound IndiGo flight made an emergency return to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru on Saturday (November 7, 2026) after a handwritten note threatening to hijack the aircraft was discovered inside an onboard lavatory shortly after take-off. Flight 6E-451 had departed from Terminal 1 of KIA when cabin crew members found the note. The message reportedly read: “This flight is going to hijack at 6.30, ignore and see the consequences.” The crew immediately alerted the pilot-in-command, who subsequently informed Air Traffic Control (ATC) and sought priority clearance to return to Bengaluru. Airport authorities declared a full emergency as a precautionary measure. According to flight-tracking website Flightradar24, the aircraft remained airborne for 51 minutes before returning to KIA.
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