Flight operations at Delhi Airport are gradually returning to normal after a major technical glitch in the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system caused massive disruptions, delaying and diverting hundreds of flights over the past two days. The issue, which began early Thursday morning, impacted domestic and international carriers including IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet, resulting in significant passenger inconvenience and airport congestion.
Over 800 Flights Affected Across Two Days
According to Flightradar24, more than 513 flights were delayed on Thursday, with the number rising to nearly 800 by Friday. While the situation began stabilizing by Saturday, over 120 additional flights were still delayed, making it one of the most severe disruptions Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) has faced in recent years.
Officials confirmed that the technical issue stemmed from a glitch in the Air Traffic Control communication systems, affecting the coordination of takeoffs and landings. Some flights had to be diverted to nearby airports, including Jaipur, Lucknow, and Chandigarh, as precautionary measures.
“Flight operations are now improving gradually,” a Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) spokesperson said. “Our technical teams worked round the clock to restore full functionality, and all airlines have been informed of updated slot timings.”
Airlines Issue Advisories to Passengers
In the wake of the chaos, major carriers such as IndiGo, Air India, and Vistara issued advisories through social media and their mobile apps, urging passengers to check live flight status before heading to the airport.
IndiGo Airlines acknowledged the system outage, stating that while the issue was beyond their control, they were working closely with the airport authorities to minimize passenger inconvenience. Similarly, Air India announced extended check-in windows to accommodate affected travelers and mitigate congestion in terminals.
Despite these efforts, passengers reported long queues, confusion over flight schedules, and delays extending up to five hours in some cases.
Tech Glitch Under Investigation
Preliminary reports indicate that the glitch was linked to a network synchronization issue in the Air Traffic Control data servers, affecting the coordination between ground control and airborne flights. Aviation ministry officials have ordered a detailed investigation into the incident to determine the root cause and prevent future occurrences.
There were also unconfirmed reports of GPS signal interference, though authorities have not established any link between those incidents and the system failure.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has requested a comprehensive report from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and urged all airports to conduct immediate checks on their backup systems.
Passenger Frustration Grows Amid Long Waits
As flight delays piled up, social media platforms were flooded with complaints from passengers stranded at Delhi Airport, many of whom missed connecting flights or important engagements.
“We’ve been waiting for over four hours, with little information,” said one traveler flying to Bengaluru. “Announcements are unclear, and most airlines are still figuring out new departure times.”
Airport staff, meanwhile, distributed refreshments and water bottles at crowded gates, while ground handling teams worked overtime to manage baggage backlogs.
Gradual Recovery and Rescheduled Flights
By late Friday night, the Delhi Airport flight status began showing signs of improvement, with most airlines resuming partial operations. By Saturday morning, around 80% of scheduled flights were operating on time, although passengers were still advised to arrive early and stay updated through airline websites.
DIAL has since confirmed that redundant systems have been restored, and a dedicated review panel is being formed to strengthen the airport’s IT and ATC infrastructure resilience.
Economic and Operational Impact
The disruption had a ripple effect across the aviation ecosystem. Cargo operations were temporarily slowed, and several domestic airports reported minor delays in connecting routes due to rescheduling at Delhi — India’s busiest airport.
Aviation experts estimate that the 36-hour disruption could cost airlines and service providers several crores in losses due to fuel wastage, crew overtime, and missed flight connections.
Conclusion
As flight operations at Delhi Airport continue to normalize, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the aviation sector’s dependence on critical digital infrastructure. Authorities have vowed to complete their technical review swiftly and ensure that such large-scale disruptions do not occur again.
Travelers flying in or out of Delhi are advised to check their flight status regularly and stay alert for updates from their respective airlines.
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