Flight Operations Resume Normally at Delhi Airport After Major Technical Glitch
After a chaotic Friday that saw over 800 flights delayed and thousands of passengers stranded, flight operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) are now back to normal, confirmed Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) on Saturday afternoon.
“All flight operations are normal at Delhi airport,” DIAL posted in an official advisory on X (formerly Twitter).
The airport operator also urged passengers to stay in touch with their respective airlines for real-time updates.
⚙️ What Caused the Disruption?
The massive delay was triggered by a malfunction in the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system’s Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS) — a crucial component that manages and processes flight plan messages.
According to the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the technical issue in AMSS led to severe disruptions in flight planning and scheduling, impacting not only Delhi but also several northern region airports.
AAI stated, “The technical issue in the AMSS, which caused delays in processing flight plan messages, has been addressed. The OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) was engaged, and additional staff were deployed to manually process Flight Plans to ensure uninterrupted and safe air traffic operations.”
📉 Impact of the Glitch
The malfunction hit flight operations hard, with Friday witnessing nearly 800 flight delays — both arrivals and departures — at Delhi Airport.
According to Flightradar24, a global flight tracking website:
- Friday: Around 800 flights delayed
- Saturday morning: Only 129 flights delayed (53 arrivals and 76 departures)
- Saturday afternoon: Operations fully restored
This quick recovery marked a return to normalcy for the country’s busiest airport, which handles over 1,500 flight movements daily across four runways.
🛠️ Quick Recovery and Coordination
DIAL confirmed that by Saturday afternoon, the technical glitch was resolved and normal operations resumed.
Earlier in the morning, DIAL had said that the AMSS issue was gradually improving, with all concerned authorities working to minimise inconvenience to passengers.
“Airline operations at Delhi Airport are returning to normal, and all concerned authorities are working diligently to minimise any inconvenience caused,” DIAL’s official post stated.
🧳 Airlines’ Response: IndiGo Leads the Updates
IndiGo Airlines, India’s largest carrier, also issued a detailed advisory for passengers:
“We are pleased to share that the temporary AMSS system outage affecting Air Traffic Control has now been resolved, and normal operations are being progressively restored at Delhi Airport and other impacted airports in the northern region.”
IndiGo further added that delays and congestion may continue temporarily as operations stabilise, but appreciated the efforts of airport and ATC authorities in restoring systems promptly.
🗒️ Summary of the Situation
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Airport Name | Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), Delhi |
| Issue | Air Traffic Control (ATC) system malfunction – AMSS outage |
| Impact | 800+ flights delayed on Friday |
| Restoration Time | Fully normal by Saturday afternoon |
| Authority Response | AAI, DIAL, and OEM teams worked overnight |
| Airline Updates | IndiGo, Air India, and others resumed regular operations |
| Passenger Advisory | Stay in touch with airlines for real-time updates |
🧭 What Passengers Should Do
If you are flying in or out of Delhi Airport:
- Check your flight status on airline apps or websites.
- Arrive a bit early to avoid terminal congestion.
- Keep an eye on official DIAL and airline social media handles for live updates.
- Expect minor delays as systems stabilise over the weekend.
🚀 Conclusion
With the AMSS glitch resolved and flight operations fully restored, Delhi Airport is back to running smoothly.
The swift response from DIAL, AAI, and airline teams ensured safety and minimal disruption, reflecting the resilience and efficiency of India’s aviation ecosystem.
Passengers can now expect normal flight schedules to continue, marking the end of one of the busiest weekends of troubleshooting at India’s busiest airport.
