KOLKATA, November 11, 2026: A Mumbai-bound Air India flight was moved to an isolation bay at Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on Wednesday morning after cabin crew discovered a message threatening to hijack the aircraft.
The incident prompted an immediate security alert, forcing passengers to disembark while airport security personnel carried out a detailed inspection of the plane and its baggage.
According to an official airport statement, the threatening note was discovered at approximately 10:37 am inside the lavatory of Air India flight AI 2772, an Airbus A320 registered as VT-TNH.
Initial reports indicated that more than 100 passengers were affected, although different news organisations provided conflicting passenger counts.
Hijack Threat Found Inside Air India Flight at Kolkata Airport
The aircraft was preparing to operate its scheduled service from Kolkata to Mumbai when a member of the cabin crew noticed a message referring to a possible hijacking.
The flight had been scheduled to depart at around 10:20 am.
According to airport officials, the message warned that the aircraft would be hijacked at 11:10 am.
Some reports indicated that the threatening words had been written on a lavatory mirror, possibly using lipstick.
The crew immediately informed the flight's captain, who alerted Air Traffic Control.
Airport authorities subsequently activated the established emergency security procedures.
The aircraft was directed to an isolation bay, away from routine passenger operations, to allow security agencies to examine it safely.
Passengers Deboarded, Security Teams Search Aircraft
Following the alert, all passengers who had boarded the aircraft were asked to disembark.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and other airport security agencies carried out a thorough inspection.
According to reports citing airport police, security personnel, fire services and bomb disposal specialists were deployed as part of the precautionary response.
The search covered the aircraft's interior and passenger baggage.
Officials also began examining the circumstances in which the message was discovered.
By approximately 1:30 pm, the search had not uncovered any suspicious object, according to a later report by Hindustan Times.
However, that finding did not immediately establish who had written the message or whether the threat was intended as a hoax.
Kolkata Airport Confirms Flight AI 2772 Was Involved
The airport confirmed that the message was found inside an Air India Airbus A320 operating between Kolkata and Mumbai.
The official statement identified the aircraft as flight AI 2772, registration VT-TNH.
Earlier media reports had referred to flight AI 772.
The airport's flight identification provides the more reliable reference for the incident.
There have also been differences in the passenger figures reported by news organisations.
Hindustan Times' later report mentioned 105 passengers, while other early reports cited 93 or 147.
An independently confirmed final passenger count was not available in the official information reviewed.
What Did Kolkata Airport Officials Say?
Kolkata airport director Vikram Singh confirmed that the message was discovered in the aircraft's washroom and that passengers were removed as a precaution.
Speaking to PTI, Singh said security procedures were immediately activated and the aircraft was taken to an isolated parking area for inspection.
The airport's statement also confirmed that the necessary checks were being conducted by the agencies concerned.
Authorities treated the message as a potential security threat even though no actual hijacking had occurred.
The incident caused a disruption to the scheduled flight, with the aircraft unable to proceed normally while security checks were underway.
Why Was the Air India Aircraft Moved to an Isolation Bay?
An isolation bay is a designated area of an airport used when an aircraft requires special security attention.
Moving an aircraft away from active passenger areas gives security teams more space to conduct inspections while limiting disruption and potential risk to nearby operations.
Such measures can be taken when authorities receive information about suspected explosives, hijacking threats or other serious security concerns.
In this case, the decision allowed security officials to inspect the aircraft and baggage before determining whether it could return to normal operations.
The move was precautionary and should not be interpreted as confirmation that an actual hijacking attempt was underway.
Investigation Launched Into Threat Message
Authorities are investigating how the threatening message appeared inside the aircraft.
According to NDTV, investigators were reviewing available CCTV footage and examining possible leads.
Passenger questioning and checks of movement around the aircraft were also reported as part of the inquiry.
The identity of the person responsible had not been established in the verified reports.
Officials had also not announced any confirmed arrest linked to the note.
Further information is awaited on the outcome of the investigation and the aircraft's subsequent departure arrangements.
Was the Kolkata-Mumbai Air India Flight Actually Hijacked?
No confirmed hijacking was reported.
The incident involved the discovery of a threatening message aboard an aircraft before departure.
Security agencies responded by removing passengers, isolating the plane and carrying out a comprehensive inspection.
The available reporting indicates that the threat was detected before the aircraft could continue its journey.
Although no suspicious object had been found by early afternoon, authorities had not yet publicly confirmed the complete outcome of the investigation in the reports reviewed.
This is a developing story. All India Story will update the report as further official information becomes available.
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