New Delhi, November 7, 2025: Hundreds of passengers faced long delays at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) on Friday morning after a major technical snag hit the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system, disrupting flight operations at India’s busiest airport.
According to officials, the glitch occurred in the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS) — a crucial subsystem that feeds real-time flight plan data to the Auto Track System (ATS), which assists air traffic controllers in managing aircraft movements.
Over 400 Flights Affected
The disruption led to widespread delays, with over 400 flights impacted since Thursday afternoon. Flight-tracking platform Flightradar24 reported 313 departures and 118 arrivals delayed on Friday, while 513 flights faced delays on Thursday alone.
“Flight operations at Delhi Airport are experiencing delays due to a technical issue in the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS), which supports Air Traffic Control data. Controllers are processing flight plans manually, leading to some delays. Technical teams are working to restore the system at the earliest,” the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said in a statement.
Controllers Forced to Work Manually
Officials said the technical glitch first appeared around 3 p.m. on Thursday, preventing air traffic controllers (ATCOs) from automatically receiving flight plans on their systems.
“As a result, controllers are now preparing flight plans manually using available data, a process that is slowing down operations and contributing to congestion at the airport,” one official explained.
Another ATC source described the situation as “chaotic,” adding that such system failures are rare. “Each task before a flight departure is being done manually. There is confusion and heavy workload at Delhi ATC right now,” the source said.
Airlines Issue Travel Advisories
Leading carriers including IndiGo and Air India have issued travel advisories on social media platforms, urging passengers to check flight statuses before heading to the airport.
IndiGo posted on X (formerly Twitter):
“TravelAdvisory — Flight operations at Delhi Airport are currently experiencing delays due to a technical issue with the ATC system. We understand that extended wait times, both on the ground and onboard, may cause inconvenience, and we sincerely appreciate your patience.”
Air India also confirmed the disruption, stating that the ATC issue is beyond the airline’s control.
“We regret the inconvenience caused by this unforeseen disruption and appreciate your understanding. Our cabin crew and ground staff are providing all possible assistance to passengers,” the airline said in a statement.
Technical Teams Working to Restore System
The AAI’s technical teams and experts from the Ministry of Civil Aviation are currently investigating the cause of the malfunction and working to restore the AMSS system. However, airport officials warned that delays may continue throughout the day.
The Indira Gandhi International Airport handles over 1,500 flight movements daily, making it one of the busiest aviation hubs in Asia. With the festive season approaching, the outage has amplified inconvenience for thousands of travelers.
What Passengers Should Know
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Check real-time flight updates on airline websites or mobile apps before leaving for the airport.
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Arrive at least 2–3 hours before departure for domestic flights and 4 hours for international departures.
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Expect possible gate changes and longer queues at check-in and boarding counters.
