Flight operations at the Delhi airport were hit by major disruptions on Friday morning after a malfunction in the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system led to widespread delays.
Hundreds of passengers were facing a tough time as nearly 300 flights were delayed.
IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet and Akasa Air said there are delays in their flights at the Delhi airport due to the issues with the air traffic control system.
The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), the country’s busiest, manages more than 1,500 flight movements daily.
According to data from flight tracking platform Flightradar24, 93 per cent of scheduled departures were delayed at 9 am, with the average delay time for departing flights standing at around 50 minutes.
Airports Authority of India (AAI) said flight operations at the Delhi airport are facing delays due to a technical issue in the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS), which supports air traffic control data.
The state-owned AAI, which provides air traffic control and navigation services, said technical teams are working to restore the system at the earliest.
"We regret the disruption being experienced at IGIA due to a technical issue at ATC that is affecting flight operations.
"This matter is being addressed on priority with close coordination among ATC, DIAL, and other stakeholders," Delhi airport operator DIAL said in a post on X.
Sources quoted by PTI said that air traffic controllers have been facing technical difficulties since Thursday evening, preventing them from automatically receiving flight plans.
According to the sources, there were long queues near boarding gates and hundreds of passengers were waiting inside the airport terminals for flight updates.
The problem lies with the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS), which provides data to the Auto Track System (AMS) used for generating flight plans.
With the automated systems down, air traffic controllers have been manually preparing flight plans using available data.
This process, the sources said, is significantly slower and has led to delays for a large number of flights.
The disruption has also caused air traffic congestion at the airport, while authorities continue efforts to resolve the issue.
More than 100 flights were reported delayed at the Delhi airport on Friday morning.
IndiGo, in a post on X, said: “Flight operations at Delhi Airport are currently experiencing delays due to a technical issue with the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system. As a result, flight operations at Delhi and several northern regions are impacted.
“We understand that extended wait times, both on the ground and onboard, may cause inconvenience, and we sincerely appreciate your patience. Please be assured that our crew and ground teams are actively assisting and doing their best to make your wait as smooth as possible.”
Air India also, in a post on X, said: “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. We regret the inconvenience caused by this unforeseen disruption, which is beyond our control, and appreciate your patience.
“Our cabin crew and on-ground staff at the airport are extending immediate assistance to reduce passenger inconvenience.”