On Friday, November 7, flight operations at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), Delhi were disrupted due to a technical issue with the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system, leading to delays for at least 100 flights in the morning.

Cause of the Disruption

• Delhi Airport confirmed a technical glitch in the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS), which supports ATC data.
• Due to this, controllers had to process flight plans manually, causing delays across Delhi and several northern regions.
• The Airports Authority of India (AAI) stated that technical teams were actively working to restore normal operations.

Airlines’ Response

• Air India: Reported delays and longer wait times at IGIA due to the ATC issue. The airline assured passengers that cabin crew and ground staff were providing assistance to minimize inconvenience.
• Indigo: Issued a travel advisory stating that the ATC system issue was affecting flights in Delhi and surrounding regions. The airline emphasized that crews and ground teams were assisting passengers to make waits smoother.
• SpiceJet: Confirmed disruption of flight operations across Delhi and northern regions. The airline noted that crews were working closely with authorities to minimize the impact.

Impact

• IGIA, India’s busiest airport with over 1,500 daily flight movements, faced significant operational delays.
• Flight departures were delayed by approximately 50 minutes, according to Flightradar24.com data.

Passengers were advised to stay in touch with their airlines for updated flight information. Authorities and airlines are working to restore normal operations as quickly as possible.