Delhi Airport Live: Technical glitch with air traffic system resolved

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) confirmed on Friday that the air traffic control messaging system at Delhi airport is now “up and functional,” over a day after a technical glitch caused widespread flight disruptions.

(Reuters)

Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, the country’s busiest, descended into chaos on Friday after a major technical glitch hit the Air Traffic Control’s Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS), delaying over 800 domestic and international flights. Airlines including IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet confirmed disruptions, while authorities worked to manually process flight plans. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) said teams were trying to restore the system urgently. The issue, which began around 5:45 am, also caused long queues and congestion inside terminals. DIAL confirmed all operations were delayed as efforts continued to fix the fault affecting

Delhi Airport has confirmed that all airline operations are currently impacted due to an ongoing technical issue. Authorities are working to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.

In a post on X, the airport stated, “Passengers are requested to follow updates from their airlines regarding revised schedules.”

Flight operations at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) in Delhi have faced massive disruptions, with 97 per cent of departures delayed, according to Flightradar24 data.

The chaos erupted on Friday after a technical fault affected the Air Traffic Control system, impacting over 400 flights. All airlines operating from the airport experienced delays, and authorities are currently working to resolve the issue and restore normal flight operations.

Passengers have been advised to check with their respective airlines for updates on revised schedules and expected departure times.

Delhi Airport is currently experiencing significant flight delays due to a technical issue in the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system. According to Flightradar24, the average departure delay stands at 37 minutes.

The ATC glitch has impacted operations across all airlines at the airport, causing disruptions to scheduled flights. Airport authorities and air traffic controllers are actively working to resolve the issue and minimize inconvenience to passengers.

Travelers are advised to stay updated on flight schedules and contact their respective airlines for the latest information. Airport officials have requested passengers to allow extra time for check-in and boarding until the situation is resolved.

Flight operations at Mumbai Airport are currently affected due to a technical issue with the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS) at Delhi, which supports Air Traffic Control flight planning. Authorities are actively working to resolve the problem as soon as possible.

Passengers are advised to check with their respective airlines for updates on flight status and revised schedules. We regret the inconvenience and appreciate your patience and cooperation.

Shares of IndiGo fell 1.5% on Thursday after the airline reported disruptions in its flight operations. SpiceJet and Air India also warned passengers of delays due to congestion at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport.

The airport handles 60-70 aircraft movements per hour, but ongoing issues have caused significant delays. Data from Flightradar24 revealed that the average departure delay across flights was around 55 minutes, affecting multiple carriers.

With ongoing technical issues affecting the system, air traffic controllers at Delhi airport are preparing flight plans manually using available data.

The manual process is time-consuming, leading to several flight delays and air traffic congestion. Airport authorities have confirmed that efforts are underway to resolve the problem at the earliest.

Still no respite from the disruptions. The Delhi airport in its latest advisory maintained that the teams are still working on solving the ATC glitch that has caused flight delays since early morning. According to reports, the impacted airlines may start cancelling flights by evening today.

According to Flight Radar, the disruption index for Delhi Airport departures currently stand at 4.3 with an average delay of 51 minutes. A disruption index between 3.5 and 5 means “major problems with long delays and several canceled flights”. Flight Radar further shows that 89% of departures have been impacted due to the ongoing glitch with the ATC system.

According to News18, the ATC glitch at Delhi Airport which has caused flight delays since early morning today, may have been triggered by a malware intrusion.

We might see a surge in flight cancellations as the disruption due to ATC glitch remains unresolved so far.

Three hours after posting first update on the flight disruptions, IndiGo airline in its latest post on X said that some other airports in the northern region are also facing similar issues. “We understand how inconvenient and uncertain this can be, especially when travel plans are involved. Please be assured that the authorities are working to restore the system at the earliest, and our on-ground teams are doing their best to support you and ensure continuity of services,” the X post read.

In a fresh advisory, Delhi Airport has confirmed that the technical issue is still active and teams are working to sort it as soon as possible. It further said that the matter is being treated as a priority.

Visuals from outside Delhi Airport:

There are reportedly more than 200 flights that are affected at the Delhi airport. According to aviation journalist with The Hindu Jagriti Jagriti Chandra, a prolonged ATC outage could soon impact incoming flights as well, with parking bays expected to fill up with aircraft queued for departure. The delays may also push pilots close to their mandatory duty-hour limits, forcing airlines to rotate crews or adjust schedules.

More than 100 flights were delayed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport today morning following a technical fault in the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system. The AAI said restoration work was underway on the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS), a key component that supports ATC data exchange.

The airport advised passengers to check flight statuses before travelling. Airlines also said their staff were working closely with affected passengers to manage the disruption.

As per the airport’s online dashboard, departures were running behind schedule by as much as 53 minutes in the morning, with delays gradually increasing as the congestion built up.

Sharing travel update on X, Akasa Air posted, “Due to a technical issue with the ATC (Air Traffic Control) system at Delhi airport, our flight operations across the network may be impacted. This may lead to longer wait times at the airport and delays for some of our flights. While this situation is beyond our control, we sincerely regret the inconvenience to your travel plans and seek your understanding during these times.”

In a latest update, Airports Authority of India said, “Flight operations at Delhi Airport are experiencing delays due to a technical issue in the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS), which supports Air Traffic Control data. Controllers are processing flight plans manually, leading to some delays. Technical teams are working to restore the system at the earliest. We appreciate the understanding and cooperation of all passengers and stakeholders.”

Spicejet issued an advisory on X and wrote, “Due to ATC (Air Traffic Control) congestion at Delhi, all Departures/Arrivals and their consequential flights might get affected. Passengers are requested to keep a check on their flight status.”

“A technical issue with the ATC system in Delhi is impacting flight operations across all airlines, leading to delays and longer wait times at the airport and onboard aircraft. We regret the inconvenience caused by this unforeseen disruption, which is beyond our control, and appreciate your patience. Our cabin crew and on-ground staff at the airport are extending immediate assistance to reduce passenger inconvenience,” Air India said in a statement.