Flight operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport came to a standstill on Friday after a major technical fault hit the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system, resulting in delays to nearly 700 flights, according to data from Flightradar24.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) confirmed that a malfunction in the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS) disrupted real-time communication and data exchange for air traffic management. Technical teams have been deployed to restore the system, and passengers have been advised to check with airlines for the latest flight updates before heading to the airport.
“Our teams are working on priority to restore the AMSS and minimize disruptions,” the AAI said in an official statement.
Nationwide Impact
The disruption affected not only Delhi but also caused delays at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, as interconnected systems slowed air traffic flow.
Major airlines, including IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet, confirmed widespread delays and advised passengers to follow airline advisories for revised schedules. IndiGo shares closed 2% lower, while SpiceJet slipped 1% on the stock market amid operational concerns.
Manual Operations in Progress
As the AMSS glitch persisted, air traffic controllers reportedly switched to manual flight planning, significantly slowing down the clearance process. This led to airspace congestion and long queues at terminals as passengers waited for updates.
The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) stated in its latest advisory on social media that “all airline operations are currently impacted”, adding that teams are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
Background
Delhi’s IGI Airport, India’s busiest aviation hub, manages over 1,500 flights daily. On Thursday, 513 flights were already delayed, and an additional 171 flights faced disruptions by Friday morning.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, with restoration efforts underway to fully resume normal flight operations.
