A technical malfunction in the air traffic control system at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport delayed over 600 flights on Friday, stranding thousands of passengers. The issue began late Thursday and was resolved by evening. The Airports Authority of India maintained services through manual operations.
A technical glitch in the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS) at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) was detected late Thursday night, affecting data flow to the Air Traffic Control (ATC). This disrupted flight planning. The Ministry of Civil Aviation immediately convened a review meeting and issued directions.
The issue peaked on Friday, delaying at least 600 flights—though some reports cited over 800. Passengers faced long queues, rescheduling, and waits inside aircraft. One traveler complained, 'My IndiGo flight from Nagpur to Delhi was delayed from 1:40 pm to 5 pm, then pilots had to be changed. Extremely frustrating.'
Airlines provided assistance. IndiGo advised, 'Customers to check flight status and arrive early.' Air India stated their staff extended help to minimize inconvenience. Air India Express worked with authorities to reduce delays.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI), with support from the Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), resolved the issue by 9 pm Friday. AAI's statement noted, 'AMSS systems are up and functional now, though some work remains, automatic operations are resuming.' Manual processing slowed operations but ensured safe air traffic.
Aviation experts ruled out a cyberattack. AMSS handles critical messages for flight departures and arrivals. The glitch also impacted airports like Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International. IGIA, India's busiest airport, handles over 1,500 flights daily.