Technical Issue at Delhi ATC Causes Massive Flight Disruptions Across Airlines

New Delhi:

A chaotic Friday morning emerged at Delhi airport as over a hundred flights faced delays due to a technical issue in the air traffic control (ATC) system. Airport authorities are actively working to resolve the problem and have expressed regret for the disruptions.

"Due to a technical issue with the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system, flight operations at IGIA (Indira Gandhi International Airport) are experiencing delays. Their team is actively working with all stakeholders including DIAL (Delhi International Airport Limited) to resolve it at the earliest," according to a passenger advisory.

Passengers have been advised to maintain contact with their airlines for the latest updates on their flights.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) explained that the disruptions stem from a technical problem 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 AAI stated.

Multiple airlines have also requested passengers to verify their flight status before departing for the airport.

Air India noted in a morning announcement that the flight disruptions are causing delays and extended wait times both at the airport and on aircraft, adding that their cabin crew and ground staff are providing immediate assistance to minimize passenger inconvenience.

"A technical issue with the ATC system in Delhi is impacting flight operations across all airlines, leading to delays and longer wait times at the airport and onboard aircraft. We regret the inconvenience caused by this unforeseen disruption, which is beyond our control, and appreciate your patience," read Air India's travel advisory.

Budget airlines SpiceJet and IndiGo reported that flights across Delhi and several northern regions are affected by the disruption. SpiceJet's online update indicated that crew and ground teams are collaborating closely with airport authorities to minimize impacts and resume normal operations as quickly as possible.

"We understand that extended wait times, both on the ground and onboard, may cause inconvenience, and we sincerely appreciate your patience," IndiGo stated.

Sources revealed that a similar disruption due to a server outage in the ATC system caused at least 20 flight delays from Delhi airport just yesterday evening, though that issue was subsequently fixed.

The IGI airport, India's busiest, handles approximately 1,550 flight movements daily. The facility has been experiencing significant disruptions over the past week due to suspected GPS spoofing incidents that interfered with aircraft navigation systems and forced numerous flights to divert, creating unexpected air traffic congestion.

GPS spoofing occurs when fake satellite signals are transmitted to deceive navigation systems, causing aircraft to calculate incorrect position or altitude readings. Unlike GPS jamming which blocks signals entirely, spoofing actively delivers inaccurate coordinates, deceiving systems into displaying false routes or approach paths.

While GPS interference incidents were traditionally limited to conflict zones, they have now become an increasing threat to international flights worldwide. Just last month, a Delhi-bound flight from Vienna had to be diverted to Dubai because of spoofed signals.