Technical Glitch at Delhi Airport Disrupts Over 100 Flights

Flight operations at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) were significantly disrupted on Friday morning due to a technical malfunction in the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system, resulting in delays for more than 100 flights.

According to an official statement from the airport authority, the glitch affected both arrivals and departures, causing delays of over 30 minutes in several cases. "Due to a technical issue with the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system, flight operations at IGIA are experiencing delays. Our team is actively working with all stakeholders including DIAL to resolve it at the earliest," the statement read.

Passengers were advised to remain in contact with their respective airlines for real-time updates. "We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused," the advisory added.

Reports from onboard passengers, including those on an Air India flight, confirmed extended wait times on the runway. One traveller told IANS that their flight had been grounded for over half an hour, with crew attributing the delay to the ATC issue. Air India staff assured passengers that operations were expected to normalize soon.

The glitch also led to congestion at boarding gates, further compounding the inconvenience for travellers.

This incident follows a similar disruption earlier in the week. On Wednesday, the airport had announced that operations had returned to normal after a third-party connectivity issue impacted check-in systems across several 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," Air India stated on X (formerly Twitter).

Airport authorities emphasized their ongoing coordination with stakeholders to minimize delays and restore full functionality.