Avantika Dassani took a night flight from Goa to Mumbai on January 13 which received a fake bomb threat.
Avantika Dassani spoke about the fake bomb threat on her recent flight.
In a harrowing turn of events, Avantika Dassani, the daughter of popular actress Bhagyashree, recently shared a detailed account of a terrifying bomb threat that disrupted her flight from Goa to Mumbai. The incident, which took place on January 13, 2025, involved a malicious tip-off that led to a lengthy and tense delay at Goa Airport. Dassani, who was onboard the flight, described the terrifying uncertainty that loomed over the passengers during the six-hour ordeal. The flight, initially scheduled to land at 10:30 p.m., was grounded due to extensive security measures, and after thorough checks by airport authorities, the bomb threat was ultimately deemed a hoax.
Recalling the ordeal, Avantika Dassani told Hindustan Times, “Interestingly, it was the pilot’s first flight. So, it started off on that happy note. But before we landed, some of the air hostesses seemed to be in a little bit of panic. They opened our baggage and try to identify something. We thought it was some co-passenger who needed their bags.”
She added, “When we landed, that gates weren’t opening, and we were kept waiting for about an hour. Outside the window, we could see all of these cop cars and there were ambulances, cars with the lights and stuff like that. We started wondering what’s going on, and then the pilot said there was some slight safety concern. When they finally opened the gate, they made us take out all our hand luggage and placed it at a centre. We waited for about an hour to get our stuff back and our terminals were changed mid-air. When we reached the gate, another checking and screening happened. They even took handwriting tests from us all. It took about three to four hours. So, a flight which was supposed to take 45 minutes, lasted close to five hours.”
Avantika further said, “I’d rather have them take time and follow protocol than cut corners.” When asked what was going on in her mind during this time? “Honesty, I had been reading that there have been an increase in the numbers of such fake stories. So, my head immediately sort of went to that. But I don’t get what people get out of pulling such pranks. It’s just causing a menace. What is anyone really getting out of doing something so stupid? It just became one more experience in my life,” she responded.
The actress said that she didn’t feel scared at all during the whole incident. “By the time we got out of the flight, we were surrounded by so many security personnels and just the way the checks were going, I had already realised that something serious is going on. While I wasn’t scared, there were people around me who were obviously getting a little tense about the situation, not understanding what’s happening and the scene was scaring them,” she said.
Avantika also that, her mother, Bhagyashree, got panicked. “In our family, we have this ritual that whenever anyone is taking a flight, we inform in the family group. My call always goes to mom, especially when I have a night flight. This time, I let her know about the situation and told her I don’t know how long is that going to take. I asked her to not wait up and sleep, but she responded saying, ‘Do You think I am going to sleep now?’ She waited for me till I got home. My flight was supposed to land at 10: 30 pm, but I reached home by 4 am.” However, there was a silver lining to it. “I reached home to the warmest hugs by my family and ate some ghar ka khana before I went to sleep,” she concluded.
To jog your memory, the incident took place on Monday, January 13, when the fake threat call resulted in a six-hour delay in the flight. While the IndiGo flight was supposed to land in Mumbai at 10:30 pm, it only reached the city at 3:30 am.
A source had revealed at the time, “The airline received a tip from an unknown source that there’s a bomb on the flight which sent shivers down the spine of each and everyone on the flight and were a part of its operations. After the tip, the passengers were left waiting at the airport. There was a sense of paranoia amongst all the passengers and Avantika’s family members too who were praying for her safe return in Mumbai.”
After the flight reached Mumbai, an airline spokesperson also issued a statement which read, “All standard operating procedures were followed and the aircraft was positioned back to the terminal post clearance from relevant authorities.”
Avantika Dassani made her Bollywood debut with the movie, U Shape Ki Gully.
