Airports across the major Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, and Jaipur, have been hit by technical glitches, disrupting flight operations. According to reports, more than 400 flights at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport were delayed on Friday after a technical malfunction disrupted the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system, according to data from Flightradar24. The disruption has also affected flight operations at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, leading to widespread travel delays.
What Led To Air Travel Disruption? AMSS System Faces Technical Failure
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) confirmed that the issue stemmed from a fault in the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS), a critical system that supports ATC data.
“Teams are working to restore the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS),” the authority said, advising passengers to verify flight updates before arriving at the airport.
The disruption has created a cascading impact on air traffic at other major airports, including Mumbai, Jaipur, Lucknow, and Varanasi, as delays in outgoing flights from Delhi continue to ripple across the network.
Mumbai Airport Confirms Impact on Operations
Mumbai airport also acknowledged the effect of the ATC-linked issue. Its advisory said, “Flight Operations at Mumbai Airport have been affected by a technical issue impacting the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS) at Delhi, which supports Air Traffic Control flight planning. The concerned authorities are actively working to resolve the issue at the earliest.”
The airport urged passengers to stay in contact with their respective airlines for updates and noted, “Airline operations may experience delays. We regret the inconvenience caused and appreciate your patience and cooperation.”
Manual Flight Planning In Progress
With the AMSS system temporarily down, air traffic controllers are reportedly preparing flight plans manually using available data. This alternative method increases workload and processing time, contributing to further delays.
Delhi is currently experiencing an average departure delay of over 60 minutes, Flightradar24 data showed.
Airlines Issue Passenger Advisories
Multiple carriers, including IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air, confirmed operational delays and issued advisories urging passengers to allow additional time at the airport.
IndiGo stated, “We understand that the ongoing AMSS system issue affecting Air Traffic Control has led to delays and disruptions to travel plans, and we fully understand the inconvenience this may be causing to our customers and their loved ones.”
The airline added that its staff is working across airport touchpoints to support passengers. “While the authorities work to restore full system functionality, our priority is to support you with timely updates and assistance. Our teams remain available and are doing their utmost to ensure your journey remains as smooth as possible.”
Possible Malware Malfunction
According to a CNN-News18 report, the malfunction may be linked to a possible malware-related overload in the automation software. However, investigations are ongoing and no official confirmation has been issued yet.
Meanwhile, airline staff across airports have been deployed to assist passengers and mitigate disruptions where possible.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
