New Delhi:Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport witnessed massive chaos on Friday after a technical glitch crippled the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system, resulting in widespread delays and cancellations. According to reports, more than 800 flights were delayed, while at least 20 flights were cancelled due to the system outage.
Passengers were seen waiting inside and outside terminal buildings as departure boards flashed repeated delay notices. Long queues formed at boarding gates, check-in counters, and information desks as travellers sought updates from airline staff. IGI, one of the busiest airports in the world, handles more than 1,500 flight movements daily, amplifying the impact of the disruption.
Automatic Message Switching System hit by glitch
The Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS), which supports the ATC’s flight planning process, experienced a failure early on Friday. The glitch caused significant slowdowns in the exchange of critical flight plan messages between pilots, control towers, and other air navigation systems.
In a statement, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) explained that the issue stemmed from a malfunction in the IP-based AMSS system, first detected on November 6. “The OEM was engaged, and additional staff were deployed to manually process flight plans for the Air Traffic Control system to ensure uninterrupted and safe operations,” the statement said.
Officials from the Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL) were immediately deployed alongside AAI engineers to restore normalcy. Manual flight processing was initiated to keep operations running safely, though the process was considerably slower, leading to cascading delays across the schedule.
AAI confirms restoration of system functionality
By Friday evening, AAI confirmed that the system had been restored. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) at 8:56 pm, AAI stated:
“The technical issue in the Automatic Message Switching System, which delayed the processing of flight plan messages, has been resolved. The AMSS is now up and functional. Due to some backlogs, automated operations may still see minor delays, but the situation will normalise soon.”
The authority added that it regretted the inconvenience caused to passengers and airlines, assuring that a full enquiry will be conducted to determine the cause of the malfunction and to prevent future occurrences.
Delhi airport says operations stabilising
The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) issued an advisory around the same time, confirming that operations were “stabilising gradually.” The airport operator said, “The technical issue which affected the Automatic Message Switching System that supports the Air Traffic Control flight planning process is gradually improving. Airline operations at Delhi Airport are returning to normal, and all concerned authorities are working diligently to minimise any inconvenience caused. Passengers are advised to stay in touch with their airlines for the latest flight update.”
Despite the recovery, minor delays persisted into the night as controllers cleared accumulated flight plans and restored normal traffic flow.
Passengers face long queues and extended wait times
Data from flight-tracking website Flightradar24.com showed over 800 delays at Delhi airport on Friday, with average departure delays of about 50 minutes. Major airlines including IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air reported significant disruptions due to the ATC issue.
Sources said passengers endured long queues at boarding gates and airline counters, with some waiting several hours for updates. Manual preparation of flight plans — a process that usually takes minutes under automated systems — took considerably longer, further compounding delays.
Travellers took to social media to express frustration, sharing images and videos of overcrowded terminals and departure lounges. Some passengers reported missing connecting flights due to the prolonged delays.
Government steps in to review situation
Following the incident, the Civil Aviation Secretary held a review meeting with the AAI Chairman, Member (ANS) and senior officials to issue immediate directions. The Ministry of Civil Aviation sought detailed reports on the malfunction, calling for an investigation into both the technical failure and the response mechanism.
An AAI official confirmed that “additional manpower has been deployed to ensure continuity of air traffic control services,” while ECIL teams remained on-site to monitor system stability and performance.
Enquiry and preventive measures planned
Authorities have announced that an internal enquiry will be conducted to identify the root cause of the AMSS malfunction. Technical experts are expected to submit a report detailing recommendations to strengthen redundancy protocols within India’s ATC systems.
A senior AAI official noted that while India’s air traffic network is robust and well-equipped, the rare glitch highlights the need for enhanced backup mechanisms and faster response protocols.
Conclusion
Friday’s incident at Delhi’s IGI Airport underscores the vulnerabilities of automated systems in critical aviation infrastructure. While services have largely returned to normal, the disruption affected thousands of passengers and exposed the need for stronger safeguards and real-time contingency systems. The AAI has assured that operations will continue safely and smoothly as normalcy returns over the weekend.