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.

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.

Sources quoted by PTI said that air traffic controllers have been facing technical difficulties since Thursday evening, preventing them from automatically receiving flight plans.

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.”