Heightened security at Chennai airport disrupts morning departures after threat hoaxes

Chennai: International flight operations at Chennai Airport were disrupted on Wednesday morning as several departures were delayed by 30 minutes to an hour due to intensified, multi-layered security checks.

Long queues formed at security points as passenger screening slowed significantly, following a string of bomb hoax calls and heightened national security measures.

Airport authorities said the enhanced checks were introduced after multiple anonymous threat calls and in the aftermath of the recent car bomb explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort, which triggered a nationwide security alert.

Chennai Airport has been operating a stringent five-tier security system since the incident. Ongoing hoax calls have forced officials to tighten outbound screening even further.

Under the strengthened protocol, passengers must now remove shoes, belts, jackets and winter clothing for detailed scanning. While this is standard at many international airports, the sudden enforcement in Chennai slowed movement considerably.

Many travellers, unfamiliar with the extended procedure, took more time to comply, adding to congestion. Additional checks at boarding gates also increased processing times, delaying several early morning international departures.

Flights affected included Lufthansa to Frankfurt, Emirates to Dubai, AirAsia to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore Airlines to Singapore, IndiGo to Doha, Thai Airways to Bangkok, Air Arabia to Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, Etihad to Abu Dhabi and Oman Air to Muscat.

Higher-than-usual passenger traffic during the morning peak further strained security checkpoints.

Travellers expressed frustration over the long waits, urging authorities to deploy more Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel trained to manage high-pressure situations and rush-hour crowds.

Several passengers also pointed to communication barriers, noting that many CISF staff primarily spoke Hindi, which caused confusion among Tamil-speaking and English-speaking passengers. They called for more Tamil- and English-speaking officers to be posted at key checkpoints for clearer instructions and smoother flow.

Passengers said they supported strict security in the current climate but stressed that better staffing and clearer communication would ease delays.

Airport officials said the heightened security measures would remain in place until the threat level decreases and advised passengers to arrive early to avoid disruptions.

IANS