Chaos At Delhi Airport: 300 Flights Delayed Due To Technical Glitch

A technical malfunction in the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS) at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) triggered widespread disruption, affecting more than 300 flights on Friday (November 7).

Air traffic controllers were forced to abandon automated procedures and switch to manual processing, significantly slowing arrivals, departures, and ground operations.

The ripple effect was felt in Mumbai as well, where the airport reported delays after being impacted by the same Air Traffic Control (ATC) network disruption.

Why the System Failed

The AMSS is a vital layer in air traffic control—it relays flight plan data, real-time updates, weather information, and other operational notices to controller consoles and airline systems.

When the system crashed, controllers at IGIA had to manually process flight plans—recording details by hand, coordinating via voice circuits, and managing aircraft sequencing without the usual automation. Since IGIA handles roughly 1,500 aircraft movements per day and up to 60–70 during peak hours, the margin for delay or error is extremely small.

Airlines in Delhi and across the country issued advisories asking passengers to check flight status, arrive earlier than usual, and expect delays.

IGIA’s management posted on X (formerly Twitter), stating: “Flight operations at Delhi Airport are experiencing delays due to a technical issue 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 Airports Authority of India (AAI) also issued a statement on X explaining the cause of the disruption:

“Flight operations at Delhi Airport are experiencing delays due to a technical issue 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. We appreciate the understanding and cooperation of all passengers and stakeholders.”

The average delay at IGIA rose to around 50 minutes for several flights.