Passengers travelling from the national capital faced a frustrating Friday as Delhi Airport flight delays caused chaos and long queues across terminals. Over 400 flights were disrupted after a technical fault hit the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA).
Officials have clarified that the cause was not a cyber attack but a technical glitch that occurred while upgrading the ATC software. The malfunction affected the automatic updating of flight plans, which led to widespread Delhi Airport flight delays.
Authorities Confirm It’s Not A Cyber Attack
A senior IT ministry official confirmed that the system issue stemmed from a failed software update. “There is supposed to be an automatic updation of flight plans, which stopped functioning. It is not a cyber attack,” the official stated.
The civil aviation ministry also verified this, saying that the problem was purely technical. The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) released an advisory, explaining, “All airline operations are delayed due to a technical issue with the Automatic Message Switching System that supports the ATC flight planning process.”
Airlines Issue Travel Advisories
Several airlines, including IndiGo and Air India, updated passengers through official handles. IndiGo posted on X (formerly Twitter), “The AMSS issue impacting ATC operations is still being resolved, and Delhi Airport flight delays may continue across airlines until the system is fully restored.”
Air India Express also stated that its teams were assisting passengers and coordinating with authorities to minimize the inconvenience. “We’re working closely with officials to resume normal operations soon,” said a spokesperson.
Impact On Passengers
According to flight-tracking site Flightradar24, more than 500 flights were delayed on Thursday, and the backlog continued into Friday. Many passengers took to social media to express frustration over long waits both at terminals and inside aircraft.
Earlier this week, Delhi Airport had faced minor disruptions due to third-party connectivity issues affecting check-ins, but this ATC glitch has impacted a much larger scale of operations. Authorities are working around the clock to restore normalcy and prevent further Delhi Airport flight delays.
FAQs
Q: What caused the Delhi Airport flight delays today?
A: A technical glitch in the ATC software caused the Delhi Airport flight delays.
Q: Was there a cyber attack at Delhi Airport?
A: No, officials confirmed that there was no cyber attack—only a system malfunction.
Q: How many flights were delayed due to the ATC issue?
A: Over 400 flights across airlines like IndiGo and Air India faced delays.
Q: What should passengers do amid Delhi Airport flight delays?
A: Travellers are advised to stay in touch with their airlines for updates and arrive early.
