Delhi Airport's Air Traffic Control System Faces Technical Issues, Causing Over 800 Flight Delays

Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport experienced significant disruptions on Friday. Over 800 flights, both domestic and international, faced delays due to technical issues with the air traffic control system. The problem affected all airlines operating at the airport, causing widespread chaos. Authorities are actively working to resolve the situation, which has led to long queues and frustrated passengers waiting for updates.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) reported that a technical glitch in the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS) is causing the delays. This system is crucial for air traffic control data management. AAI stated, "Technical teams are working to restore the system at the earliest." The issue began impacting operations significantly from around 5:45 am, according to sources.

Flight Operations Severely Impacted

Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) confirmed that flight operations have been disrupted due to ongoing technical problems with the AMSS. This system supports the air traffic control flight planning process. DIAL posted on X at 1:42 pm, stating that authorities are striving to resolve the issue promptly.

IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air all reported delays in their flights at Delhi airport. IndiGo mentioned on X that flights across all airlines at Delhi Airport and some other northern airports are experiencing delays due to the AMSS issue.

Manual Flight Planning Causing Delays

Due to the technical problems, air traffic controllers are unable to receive flight plans automatically. They are now preparing these plans manually using available data. This manual process is time-consuming and has resulted in numerous flight delays. The sources indicated that this situation is also causing air traffic congestion at the airport.

Flight tracking website Flightradar24.com showed that over 800 flights were delayed at Delhi airport. Departing flights faced an average delay of around 50 minutes. The total count includes both arrivals and departures.

Efforts Underway to Resolve Technical Issues

The AAI provides air traffic control and navigation services and is actively working to fix the technical issues. The AMSS problem has been occurring intermittently over the past two days but became more severe early on Friday morning. Authorities are focused on restoring normal operations as quickly as possible.

Passengers inside the airport terminals faced long waits near boarding gates due to delayed flights. Many were seen queuing for updates as they awaited news about their travel plans.

The Delhi airport handles over 1,500 flight movements daily, making it India's busiest airport. The current disruptions highlight the importance of reliable air traffic control systems in managing such a high volume of flights efficiently.

As efforts continue to address the technical challenges, authorities remain committed to minimising passenger inconvenience and restoring normalcy at Delhi airport.

With inputs from PTI