A source told PTI that a tissue paper with "bomb" written on it was found inside the lavatory of the aircraft, triggering panic. However, officials later confirmed it was a hoax.
The same aircraft departed 103 minutes later after being cleared for operations and landed at Mumbai International Airport at 10.29 pm, instead of its scheduled arrival time of 8.40 pm.
The airline attributed the temporary adjustments to "a traditionally softer demand in the upcoming quarter and an incredibly challenging cost environment".
Bhatia said that since March, the escalation of geopolitical conflict in the Middle East has disrupted several routes and led to a sharp increase in jet fuel prices.
Industry experts have cited headwinds to continue for the aviation sector in the near future due to a sharp rise in ATF prices amid the US-Iran tensions and the declining rupee.
