Technical Glitch in Air Traffic Control System Causes Delays at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport
A technical glitch in the Air Traffic Control system at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport caused delays of over 100 flights. The issue, linked to the Automatic Message Switching System, forced controllers to manually prepare flight plans, affecting arrivals and departures with average delays around 50 minutes. Authorities have ruled out cyber attacks and are working to resolve the problem.
New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport experienced significant flight delays due to a technical malfunction in its Air Traffic Control (ATC) system, specifically involving the Automatic Message Switching System used for flight planning. Over 100 flights were delayed, with average delays estimated at 50 minutes, affecting both arrivals and departures. The glitch caused ATC personnel to manually prepare flight plans, resulting in operational disruptions. Despite initial concerns, an official from the IT ministry confirmed the issue was not due to a cyber attack, but rather a software upgrade complication. The Delhi International Airport Limited emphasized ongoing efforts to fix the problem promptly and advised passengers to monitor their airlines for updates. This incident follows previous ATC-related issues at the airport, highlighting challenges in managing the busiest airport in India, which handles over 1,500 flights daily. Multiple airlines issued advisories and reassurances to affected passengers, while airport authorities worked with stakeholders to restore normal operations as quickly as possible.
