Bomb threat to Emirates flight: Heightened security at Hyderabad airport

An Emirates flight (EK526) travelling from Dubai to Hyderabad triggered a full security response at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport after an email warning of a bomb was received. According to the GMR PRO (Public Relations Officer), the threat message reached the airport’s customer support team around 7:30 a.m. on December 5.

The aircraft continued its journey under strict surveillance and landed safely in Hyderabad at about 8:30 a.m. Soon after touchdown, security teams moved in, isolated the aircraft in a designated bay, and evacuated all passengers as per standard protocol. Authorities said further details would be available after the ongoing investigation.

The incident adds to a recent spike in bomb threat emails targeting flights heading to Hyderabad. On Thursday, an IndiGo flight (6E 058) travelling from Madina to Hyderabad was diverted for an emergency landing in Ahmedabad following a similar threat. The flight was carrying 180 passengers and six crew members. Earlier this week, another IndiGo flight on the Kuwait-Hyderabad route was forced to land in Mumbai due to a bomb scare.

Hyderabad airport has also been receiving hoax threat emails. On November 22, officials received a message claiming that an RDX-laden device had been placed near the arrival area; police later confirmed it was a fake threat. On November 1, another threatening email resulted in an IndiGo flight being diverted to a nearby airport.

Airport authorities reported that on November 1, 2025, around 5:35 a.m., an email from the ID “Papita Rajan ” with the subject line “Prevent landing of IndiGo 68 to Hyderabad” was received by the RGI Airport customer support team. The Bomb Threat Assessment Committee convened virtually between 5:39 a.m. and 6:22 a.m. and categorised it as a “specific threat.”