Massive Flight Disruptions Hit India After Delhi ATC Technical Failure
Air travel across India faced severe disruptions on Tuesday as a technical glitch in Delhi’s Air Traffic Control (ATC) system affected over 400 flights, causing delays, diversions, and cancellations. The outage at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) lasted nearly six hours, triggering nationwide chaos and leaving thousands of passengers stranded. Airlines swiftly issued advisories as authorities scrambled to restore normalcy.
What Caused the ATC Glitch?
The crisis began around 4:30 AM when the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS)—a vital ATC communication tool—failed. The AMSS facilitates real-time data exchange between air traffic controllers, airlines, and other airports. With the system down, controllers had to manually coordinate flights, significantly slowing operations.
Backup systems were activated, but manual processing created bottlenecks, particularly at Delhi Airport, which manages 1,300+ daily flights. The issue was resolved by afternoon, but the ripple effect disrupted schedules nationwide.
Airlines Respond as Passengers Face Chaos
Major carriers like IndiGo, Air India, Vistara, and SpiceJet issued travel advisories, warning passengers of delays and cancellations. Many flights were diverted to airports in Jaipur, Lucknow, and Amritsar, while others circled in holding patterns.
Angry passengers flooded social media with complaints. One traveler tweeted, “Stuck at Delhi Airport for 5 hours with no updates.” Another lamented, “My Mumbai flight was canceled—no alternate arrangements provided.”
Government Action and Investigation
The Ministry of Civil Aviation and DGCA demanded a report from the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia assured passengers, stating, “We’re minimizing inconvenience and investigating the root cause.”
While speculation included a software failure or cyberattack, officials ruled out security breaches. An internal probe is ongoing.
Key Takeaways from the Disruption
- Extent of Impact: 400+ flights (domestic and international) delayed or canceled.
- Passenger Guidance: Airlines urged travelers to check flight status before heading to airports.
- Compensation: Rescheduling/refunds offered per DGCA norms.
- ATC Preparedness: Authorities reviewing backup protocols to prevent future crises.
- Past Precedents: Similar ATC failures occurred in 2022, raising infrastructure concerns.
Aviation Experts Call for System Upgrades
The incident underscores India’s post-pandemic air traffic surge and aging ATC infrastructure. Analysts stress the need for modernized systems and redundancies. “Manual coordination isn’t sustainable. Global standards require advanced tech,” noted an industry expert.
Affected passengers continue dealing with missed connections and disrupted plans. The DGCA’s findings and subsequent actions will be critical to preventing repeats.
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