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Home » American Airlines » American Airlines 787-9 Escorted To Rome By Fighter Jets After Bomb Threat Onboard
American AirlinesNews

American Airlines 787-9 Escorted To Rome By Fighter Jets After Bomb Threat Onboard

Matthew Klint Posted onFebruary 24, 2025February 23, 2025 7 Comments

a plane flying in the sky

An American Airlines 787-9 bound for Delhi, India turned around en route and diverted Rome–escorted by fighter jets–after a bomb threat onboard.

In This Post:

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  • India-Bound American Airlines 787-9 Diverts To Rome After Bomb Threat
    • Bomb Threats A Regular Occurrence On India Flights
    • CONCLUSION

India-Bound American Airlines 787-9 Diverts To Rome After Bomb Threat

On Saturday, February 22, 2025, AA292 from New York (JFK) to New Delhi (DEL) departed on time from New York. The 14-hour flight was without incident for the first 10 hours, but suddenly made a U-turn while flying over the Caspian Sea.

As the aircraft reached Italian airspace, it was escorted back to Rome by Italian Eurofighter Typhoons.

#Scramble: nel pomeriggio due #Eurofighter dell'#AeronauticaMilitare sono decollati su allarme per identificare e scortare un aereo di linea diretto a Delhi che aveva invertito rotta verso l’aeroporto di Fiumicino (RM) per una segnalazione di un presunto ordigno esplosivo a bordo pic.twitter.com/qocq43lC6H

— Aeronautica Militare (@ItalianAirForce) February 23, 2025

It turns out a bomb threat was made against the flight, though it is not clear if the threat was made onboard or on the ground. Jon NYC reported the threat specifically alleging that the bomb would detonate when the aircraft descended to 10,000 feet:

RUMOR tells me: threat was made that a bomb would be set off just under 10,000 feet on approach to Delhi airport
RUMOR https://t.co/dcmCPzGoDk

— JonNYC (@xJonNYC) February 23, 2025

The flight landed at Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) at 5:28 pm local time, 14 hours and 45 minutes after taking off from New York.

Friends deplaning from AA292 in Rome earlier today after a bomb threat was made over the Caspian Sea. The flight landed while escorted by Italian fighter jets. American airlines 292 is safely on the ground all passengers safe. pic.twitter.com/sXgUAB53iK

— Herbert Hildebrandt (@herberandt) February 23, 2025

A close inspection of the aircraft revealed no bomb onboard: Italian authorities closely inspected the aircraft upon landing at FCO.

American Airlines said:

“AA 292, operating from New York to Delhi, has been diverted to Rome due to a potential security threat onboard. We are working closely with local authorities and will provide updates as the situation develops. We appreciate the patience and cooperation of our passengers.”

The flight will continue to Delhi today after the crew has had time to rest.

Bomb Threats A Regular Occurrence On India Flights

Over 1,000 bomb threats were called in over the year on flights to or from India, a problem that cannot be reduced to the Sikh separatist movement or Pakistan or juvenile pranksters.

While US carriers typically handle bomb threats differently than Indian carriers (a simple bomb threat will not necessarily lead to a diversion), it appears the bomb threat on AA292 was specific enough in nature to warrant the pricey diversion.

As I argued in a previous story, one response to the uptick in bomb threats could be to more harshly punish those who make such threats (20 years in a penal colony?). Another alternative could be carefully checking every plane before it departs beyond just a visual search and baggage screening. Both are annoyances, but perhpas better than a diversion?

CONCLUSION

It took 14.5 hours for an American Airlines 787-9 to fly from New York to Rome after a bomb threat was called onboard. The flight never reached Dehli on Sunday, but should reach the Indian capital later today.


image: @ItalianAirForce / X

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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7 Comments

  1. Malik Reply
    February 24, 2025 at 7:20 am

    This is a relief but it’s pretty unfortunate that people make these kinds of threats.

  2. Maryland Reply
    February 24, 2025 at 7:37 am

    Perhaps I should not take so much in life seriously, but actions like this deserve the worst punishments. People need to be accountable for their words

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      February 24, 2025 at 10:33 am

      Yes.

  3. JoeMart Reply
    February 24, 2025 at 9:40 am

    The part most upsetting is all the wasted catered meals and exclusive wine selection from AA.

  4. MeanMeosh Reply
    February 24, 2025 at 3:32 pm

    “As I argued in a previous story, one response to the uptick in bomb threats could be to more harshly punish those who make such threats (20 years in a penal colony?)”

    Drawing and quartering comes to mind.

    FWIW, according to OMAAT, it was determined that the threat was a hoax, but the Indian authorities refused to grant permission to land at DEL until the plane was inspected.

  5. Dave Edwards Reply
    February 24, 2025 at 9:17 pm

    Did you really delete my post?

    Wow, a new low Matt, come on.

    Those people love their cows and you know it…..while you enjoy a burger on a flight. Do you not?

    Hopefully you didn’t have some Gandhi that complained while milking millions spamming us daily for credit card numbers.

  6. Dale Reply
    February 25, 2025 at 5:27 am

    Sure seems to be a long way from the Caspian Sea (where the plane turned around) to Rome. Why didn’t the captain either land at the nearest viable airport for a 787 or else divert to a closer city instead of going all the way back to Rome?

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