Delhi Airport Faces Major Flight Delays Due to ATC System Glitch
Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport experienced significant flight delays after a technical glitch in the Air Traffic Control's Automatic Message Switching System disrupted flight data transmission. Over 300 flights were delayed as controllers had to manually prepare flight plans, causing operational congestion. Airport authorities and technical teams are actively working to restore normalcy while advising passengers to check with airlines for updates.
On November 6 and 7, 2025, Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, one of the world's busiest, faced significant disruptions due to a malfunction in the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system's Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS), which is responsible for transmitting critical air safety messages such as flight plans and arrival/departure information. This technical failure caused flight data to not reach ATC operator screens, necessitating manual compilation of flight plans. Consequently, flight operations slowed, resulting in over 300 delays, with some flights delayed by nearly an hour or more. The issue led to congestion both on the ground and in the airspace, affecting major airlines like IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Air India, which advised passengers to remain updated and seek airline assistance. The Airports Authority of India confirmed that technical teams are working to repair the system swiftly. Investigations into the cause of the glitch, including the possibility of malware, were underway. This incident follows similar disruptions globally caused by cyberattacks on airport systems. Passengers were urged to verify flight statuses before traveling to the airport to mitigate inconvenience.
