Latest news with #SardarVallabhbhaiPatelInternational
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
A'bad airport gets another bomb threat email, declared hoax
Ahmedabad: A bomb threat email received late on Monday by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) triggered a security protocol at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport in Ahmedabad. The threat was declared a hoax after a thorough search by security agencies. According to the FIR filed at the SVPI Airport police station, the complaint was lodged by the Landside Security Manager employed by the Adani Group at the airport. The complaint stated that around 2.43 am on July 7, an email was received from an unknown address, claiming that IED explosives were hidden in a bathroom pipeline at the airport. Immediately after the email was discovered, all emergency standard operating procedures (SOPs) were activated. The airport's Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS), along with Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel and local police, conducted a detailed inspection of the premises. You Can Also Check: Ahmedabad AQI | Weather in Ahmedabad | Bank Holidays in Ahmedabad | Public Holidays in Ahmedabad "No suspicious object was found during the search. The threat has been classified as a hoax," an airport source confirmed. Flight operations, however, remained largely unaffected. A police investigation into the matter is currently underway. This was the second bomb hoax email received by SVPI Airport authorities in a fortnight.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Time of India
SVPI airport gets bomb threat, turns out to be a hoax
Ahmedabad: The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport in the city received a fresh bomb threat email on June 29, prompting immediate activation of security protocols, according to a complaint filed with airport police on Saturday evening. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Neelmani Sharma, landside security manager with the Adani group at the airport, is the complainant in the case. According to the FIR, Sharma received the threatening email on the company's official IDs at around 10.23am. The message, sent from the ID roadkillandkyokill@ stated "powerful explosive devices are hidden inside backpacks placed around the airport", and warned of potential fatalities. The senders signed off as "Roadkill" and "Kyo," claiming responsibility and instructing that the message be circulated to news outlets. The Airport Bomb Threat Committee convened at 10.45am. By 11.15am, the committee officially declared the email as a non-specific threat after evaluation. Representatives from the Adani group, local police, CISF, IB and airport security participated in the assessment. Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) teams conducted thorough searches across the airport premises, but no suspicious items or explosive materials were found. The sender of the email remains unidentified. This incident adds to a growing list of such threats targeting the airport. In the past two years, the facility received over 40 bomb threat complaints, including 31 in the current financial year. Most threats came via emails, calls or notes, often causing temporary shutdowns and intense security activity. On Feb 10, 2025, a note reading, "Bomb is here", was found on an Indigo flight from Jeddah. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In 2024, a series of email threats were recorded in May and June, one of which claimed bombs were placed near airport washrooms. The fresh case has surfaced just days afer the arrest of Birju Salla, who gained notoreity in 2017 after planting a hijack threat note on a flight. He was the first person to be booked under the stringent Anti-Hijacking Act, 2018. While Salla was acquitted by the high court in 2023 due to lack of evidence, he is presently under scrutiny in two separate threat note cases — one involving a bomb threat on an IndiGo flight from Ahmedabad to Jeddah in Nov 2024 and another targeting the Ahmedabad airport in Jan this year.
Hindustan Times
17-06-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Farewell ‘Sabby': Air India, colleagues bid adieu to Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, lead pilot of crashed AI171
Air India pilot Capitan Sumeet Sabharwal was laid to rest on Tuesday, June 17. His body arrived at his residence in Maharahtra's Powai where his family, friends and neighbours gathered to bid the pilot of the ill-fated flight 171 a farewell. Captain Sumeet Sabharwal was the lead pilot of Air India flight 171. The flight crashed minutes after it took off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International airport. Shortly after taking off, Captain Sabharwal issued a 'mayday' call to Ahmedabad ATC, stating that the plane was unable to gain height. The London-bound flight crashed seconds after this mayday call, killing 241 of 242 passengers and cabin crew on board as well as 29 people on ground. Taking to X, Air India's official account issued a farewell message for the late pilot. "With profound grief and heavy hearts, we bid farewell to Captain Sabharwal - an exceptional aviator, a dedicated professional, and a beloved member of the Air India family," reads the statement. "Captain Sabharwal's unwavering commitment to the skies and his quiet strength on the ground earned him deep respect across the aviation fraternity. We stand in solidarity with his loved ones during this time of immense loss. His memory will continue to inspire us, and his legacy will forever be etched in the heart of Air India. RIP Captain. You will be missed," Air India said further. Captain Sabharwal's friends, family and colleagues gathered at his Powai residence on Tuesday for his last rites. Speaking to news agency PTI, Air India captain and Sabharwal's colleague Kapil Kohal shared how the Air India family now viewed the late Captain as a "hero." "Captain Sabharwal was our senior. We've known him for 35 years. He was a batch senior in training, and later, in Air India too. He was our friend and colleague. Today, we see him as a hero," Kohal told PTI. The Air India pilot further shared that many of his close friends would refer to him as "Sabby," adding that the pilot was a humble personality despite wearing four stripes." Kohal further shared that he took a flight two days after the Ahmedabad plane crash, but "the skies felt cold." "I took a flight out just two days after it happened. And the skies felt cold. The morale of everyone—passengers, ground staff, dispatchers—was just… shattered. Even on the ATC, you could hear it in their voices, especially when I used my call sign," Captain Kohal said.
Time of India
13-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Full ops continue at airport; high-level meetings held
Ahmedabad: Operations at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport remained fully functional even as investigations into the Air India Flight 171 crash began. Airport authorities issued a passenger advisory confirming that all flight services are operational and that dedicated helplines have been set up to assist those affected. "Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport remains fully operational for passengers. In light of yesterday's incident involving Air India Flight AI171, dedicated helpline numbers have been created for passenger queries and assistance," the advisory stated. Sources said a series of high-level meetings were convened between senior state and central govt officials, aviation authorities, and security agencies, focusing on ongoing rescue and relief measures, safety audits, and ensuring minimal disruption to airport operations. Officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Airports Authority of India (AAI), Gujarat govt, and Air India attended these meetings. The emphasis of the meetings remained coordinated support for crash victims, reviewing emergency response protocols, and securing the crash perimeter. "The airport operator is committed to extending maximum support to all the family members and relatives of the deceased," said an official on condition of anonymity. Flight operations at the city airport remained as usual with no major disruptions. A help desk was set up outside Terminal 2 of the airport on Friday for family members of passengers to get the deceased's boarding pass or ticket copy and other details verified and seek assistance to reach the hospital for further process. Paramedics, along with basic medical equipment such as stretchers and wheelchairs, have been kept at the help desk apart from refreshments. The airport operator also started a helpline. "In light of the incident involving Air India Flight AI171, a dedicated helpline number has been created at Ahmedabad airport for passenger queries and assistance. Please call +91 99741 11327," the city airport said in a statement. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Time of India
06-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
A'bad airport gets recognition for better customer experience
Ahmedabad: The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport, Ahmedabad, announced on Friday that it received Level-4 accreditation by the Airports Council International (ACI) for improved customer experience. This recognition places SVPI Airport among a select group of airports globally and third in India for enhanced customer experience. The accreditation evaluates multiple parameters, including airport culture, governance, operational improvement, measurement, customer strategy, and customer understanding. Key initiatives driving the SVPI Airport's Level-4 accreditation include the digitisation of SOPs, the launch of Digi Yatra, self-baggage drop at both terminals, a rejection line for baggage belts, and increasing baggage handling from 600 to 1,600 bags per hour. AI-based surveillance cameras were installed for enhanced safety and project monitoring, among other improvements. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !
