Hijack threat note found on IndiGo flight bound for Lucknow

An IndiGo flight traveling from Bengaluru to Lucknow was immediately sent back after a handwritten note threatening to hijack the aircraft was discovered. The incident occurred on Saturday, 7 November 2026, in which flight number 6E-451 was landed at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) under emergency conditions.

According to a report by The Hindu, the aircraft had departed from Terminal 1 of the Bengaluru airport. Shortly after takeoff, cabin crew members found a note in the aircraft's lavatory. The note read, “This flight will be hijacked at 6.30, ignore it and suffer the consequences.”

Upon finding the note, the crew members immediately informed the pilot-in-command. The pilot promptly contacted Air Traffic Control (ATC) and requested priority clearance to return to Bengaluru. As a precautionary measure, a full emergency was declared by the airport authorities.

According to data from the flight-tracking website Flightradar24, the aircraft remained in the air for 51 minutes before landing again at Kempegowda International Airport. After the aircraft landed safely, it was moved to an isolated bay. Security agencies, including the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Bengaluru Police, cordoned off the area.

In accordance with Standard Operating Procedures, all passengers were safely evacuated from the aircraft. As part of the security screening, bomb disposal staff and dog squads were deployed, who conducted a thorough search of the aircraft and passengers' belongings.

Sources from Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) told The Hindu that a complete search of the aircraft was conducted after the threat was received. No suspicious objects were found during the search, and the aircraft was declared safe. Authorities stated that the threat was merely a hoax, after which the declared emergency was lifted.

Officials have now initiated an investigation into the matter to determine who placed the handwritten note in the aircraft. The Hindu contacted IndiGo Airlines regarding the incident, but no response has been received from the company yet.