Security beef-up slows departures at Chennai Airport

International departures out of Chennai Airport experienced significant delays on Wednesday morning as intensified security screening protocols were enforced in response to a wave of hoax bomb threats.

- HD Bureau

Authorities reported that several flights were held back by 30 to 60 minutes as layers of passenger checks were ramped up ahead of the departure process.

The airport’s management disclosed that a five-tier screening system had been in place since a car-bomb explosion near the capital’s historic fort precinct triggered a nationwide alert and that the ongoing anonymous threat calls had prompted further tightening of outbound procedures.

Long queues formed at security checkpoints in the morning as passengers were required to remove shoes, belts, jackets and outer layers for enhanced scanning.