ATC got hijack code but pilots deny: Baffling mystery behind Air India flight scare

Air-India airport (ANI)

NEW DELHI: What led to a false hijack scare that sent Air India’s longhaul Frankfurt-Delhi flight being diverted to Jaipur on Wednesday has now become the subject of a probe by both aviation and security agencies. The Boeing 787-9 with about 300 people on board had entered Indian airspace via the long route taken these days due to closure of Pakistan skies for Indian carriers when Mumbai air traffic control systems received this aircraft squawking transponder code 7500 which is the aviation code for hijacking or unlawful interference.People in the know say the pilots denied squawking the code and they told ATC that everything was alright. But as per established protocol, the aircraft was diverted to Jaipur where it was parked on a remote bay. Extensive checks were carried out of everyone on board, baggage and the aircraft. Everything was found alright and the plane was cleared to take off for Delhi with the same crew operating this leg of the extended journey.“After Mumbai ATC received the aircraft squawking the code 7500, they spoke to the pilots who reported that all operations were normal on the flight. But protocols have to be followed in situations like which was done. Now it is being seen how and why this happened? Was there software on the ATC side?” said people in the know.Senior B787 pilots say there is a “one in a trillion” chance of the code being set to 7500 on the aircraft inadvertently or due to some error. “Each digit has to be physically entered. There is no button that can be inadvertently pressed. So from the pilot or plane side some error to happen is highly remote,” they say.Senior air traffic controllers say Mumbai ATC has a new system and that it’s “unlikely” to be a case of software error. “When a pilot squawks 7500 (hijack), then the colour of this aircraft’s dot on the radar screen turns red and an alarm goes off. Code 7600 is for emergency and 7700 for communication failure,” said an official.In a statement, Air India said: “Air India flight AI2030 operating from Frankfurt to Delhi on Oct 14 was diverted to Jaipur following a perceived security concern. The aircraft landed safely in Jaipur. The relevant security agencies carried out the necessary checks and have cleared the aircraft and crew. All passengers disembarked, underwent security checks, and have since reboarded the aircraft. The flight is expected to continue its journey to Delhi shortly.”“Air India teams worked proactively with authorities to minimise passenger inconvenience. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to our passengers due to this unforeseen disruption and appreciate their patience and understanding. The safety and security of our passengers and crew remain Air India’s highest priority,” AI statement added.After landing, the aircraft was escorted to an isolation bay, where a multi-agency security operation was launched. Teams from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), local police and the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) inspected the aircraft, passenger baggage and cargo holds.Police sources said security personnel conducted checks as part of the response. The National Security Guard (NSG) was also placed on standby in New Delhi, according to the information provided.Jaipur airport management said the passengers were taken to the terminal building after security checks. “The passengers have arrived in the terminal building. All are safe, and there is no situation of panic. The passengers are in the terminal building, and the authorities are now working on the plan for their departure to New Delhi,” airport sources told PTI.

Airport authorities said normal flight movements and terminal operations continued during the security response. After the checks were completed, the Aerodrome Committee assessed the situation and concluded that the threat alert had been resolved. The aircraft and crew were then cleared for departure.