Delhi Airport Chaos: Over 100 Flights Delayed After Major ATC System Glitch
A major disruption hit Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Friday morning as a technical failure in the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system led to widespread delays. More than 100 flights were affected, resulting in long queues, operational slowdowns, and mounting passenger frustration. Authorities have issued an apology and assured that technical teams are working urgently to restore normal operations.
In an advisory, the airport stated, "Due to a technical issue with the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system, flight operations at IGIA are experiencing delays. Their team is actively working with all stakeholders including DIAL to resolve it at the earliest." Travellers have been advised to stay connected with their respective airlines for revised schedules and updates.
According to the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the glitch is linked to the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS), an essential component used to process flight plans and communication data. With the system unable to function fully, controllers have temporarily switched to manual processing, slowing down approvals and flight movements significantly.
Airlines have issued several alerts as the situation continues to evolve. Air India said the disruption has caused long waiting times both at the airport and onboard aircraft. The airline confirmed that crew and ground staff are providing assistance to ease passenger inconvenience while systems are restored.
"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," the airline announced, adding that the disruption is beyond their control.
Low-cost carriers IndiGo and SpiceJet also confirmed delays not only in Delhi but across multiple northern sectors. Both airlines stressed that efforts are underway to reduce the impact and resume normal schedules as soon as possible.
The situation comes just hours after another ATC server outage caused delays to more than 20 flights on Thursday evening. Although resolved overnight, the back-to-back issues have added to the ongoing operational challenges faced at the country’s busiest airport.
Delhi airport handles nearly 1,550 flight movements daily, making any disruption highly consequential. To add to existing stress, the airport has recently experienced multiple GPS spoofing incidents, which interfered with aircraft navigation systems and forced several diversions. Last month, a Vienna-Delhi flight was diverted to Dubai due to spoofed satellite signals.
GPS spoofing differs from jamming instead of blocking signals, it deceives aircraft with false location data. Previously common in conflict zones, this threat is now emerging in civilian airspaces as well, raising significant aviation safety concerns globally.
Authorities are closely monitoring the situation while working to restore the ATC system to full functionality. Passengers have been urged to remain patient and check flight status before travelling to the airport.
In an advisory, the airport stated, "Due to a technical issue with the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system, flight operations at IGIA are experiencing delays. Their team is actively working with all stakeholders including DIAL to resolve it at the earliest." Travellers have been advised to stay connected with their respective airlines for revised schedules and updates.
According to the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the glitch is linked to the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS), an essential component used to process flight plans and communication data. With the system unable to function fully, controllers have temporarily switched to manual processing, slowing down approvals and flight movements significantly.
Airlines have issued several alerts as the situation continues to evolve. Air India said the disruption has caused long waiting times both at the airport and onboard aircraft. The airline confirmed that crew and ground staff are providing assistance to ease passenger inconvenience while systems are restored.
"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," the airline announced, adding that the disruption is beyond their control.
Low-cost carriers IndiGo and SpiceJet also confirmed delays not only in Delhi but across multiple northern sectors. Both airlines stressed that efforts are underway to reduce the impact and resume normal schedules as soon as possible.
The situation comes just hours after another ATC server outage caused delays to more than 20 flights on Thursday evening. Although resolved overnight, the back-to-back issues have added to the ongoing operational challenges faced at the country’s busiest airport.
Delhi airport handles nearly 1,550 flight movements daily, making any disruption highly consequential. To add to existing stress, the airport has recently experienced multiple GPS spoofing incidents, which interfered with aircraft navigation systems and forced several diversions. Last month, a Vienna-Delhi flight was diverted to Dubai due to spoofed satellite signals.
GPS spoofing differs from jamming instead of blocking signals, it deceives aircraft with false location data. Previously common in conflict zones, this threat is now emerging in civilian airspaces as well, raising significant aviation safety concerns globally.
Authorities are closely monitoring the situation while working to restore the ATC system to full functionality. Passengers have been urged to remain patient and check flight status before travelling to the airport.
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