Technical Glitch at Delhi Airport ATC System Causes Significant Flight Delays

Flight operations at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport were affected on Friday morning due to a technical glitch in the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system, causing delays exceeding 30 minutes on multiple flights, according to a passenger aboard an Air India flight.

Passengers on delayed flights were asked to remain patient while technical teams worked to resolve the issue.

Air India crew informed travelers that "Operations are expected to return to normal soon." A passenger reported to IANS that their flight had been waiting on the runway for over half an hour, with the crew attributing the delay to a technical problem with the ATC system.

The malfunction reportedly impacted both arrivals and departures temporarily, resulting in congestion at boarding gates.

No official statement has been released by the airlines regarding the situation.

This incident occurs just two days after airport authorities had announced that operations had normalized following a similar technical issue earlier in the week.

On Wednesday, Delhi airport posted an update stating, "Be aware that all operations are back to normal, and passengers can proceed with their travel plans as usual. We appreciate your patience and cooperation during this time. Passengers are advised to contact their respective airlines for the latest flight updates."

Earlier that week, the airport acknowledged that several airlines were experiencing disruptions in their check-in processes due to a technical glitch. "We are actively coordinating with all stakeholders to minimize delays and restore normal operations as quickly as possible," the statement noted. "Passengers are advised to check with their respective airlines and plan their timings for check-in and other formalities. We regret the inconvenience caused to our flyers."

Air India had also posted an update on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, stating, "A third-party connectivity network issue had impacted check-in systems at some airports, thereby delaying flight departures of some airlines, including Air India. The system has since been restored. However, some of our flights may continue to be delayed for some time as the situation normalises progressively."