Technical glitch at Delhi Airport’s ATC system disrupts flights across North India; Chandigarh and Amritsar among worst affected
PTC Web Desk: Flight operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) were severely disrupted on Friday morning after a technical glitch hit the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system, causing widespread delays and cancellations across northern India. The malfunction not only grounded several flights in Delhi but also triggered delays at Chandigarh and Amritsar airports.
According to airport sources, over 200 flights were affected within minutes of the glitch, with many aircraft forced to remain on the runway while hundreds of passengers were stranded at terminals for hours. Both Air India and IndiGo issued travel advisories urging passengers to check flight status before heading to the airport, as delays ranging between two to four hours were reported.
Impact on Amritsar and Chandigarh flights
The ripple effect of Delhi’s ATC failure was felt strongly in Amritsar and Chandigarh. In Amritsar, as many as 10 flights to Delhi were delayed. IndiGo flight 6E2506, scheduled to depart at 6.05 am, took off at 7.08 am. Air India flight AI1884, originally set for 7.55 am, departed only by 1 pm. Another Air India service, AI496, scheduled for 10.30 am, left at 11.45 am.
Later in the day, IndiGo flight 6E6848, which was supposed to leave at 10.40 am, took off at 1.20 pm, while Air India flight AI492 departed at 1.50 pm instead of its scheduled 1.20 pm.
In Chandigarh, two major flights to Delhi were delayed. Air India’s flight AI1862 departed at 11.17 am instead of 8.45 am, and IndiGo’s flight 6E2195 was rescheduled from 12.35 pm to 3.45 pm. Airlines, including Air India, IndiGo, and Vistara sent out text alerts to passengers about the delays.
Passengers on a Chandigarh-Mumbai flight also reported being stuck inside the aircraft for over an hour, with no takeoff clearance due to congestion caused by the Delhi ATC issue.
What caused the glitch?
Around 11 am, the Air Traffic Control system at Delhi airport suffered a sudden technical malfunction, halting radar updates and interrupting the transfer of flight data. This led to a temporary suspension of flight operations. Over 100 flights were delayed, while several were diverted to alternate airports. Aviation authorities confirmed that once the main ATC system failed, the backup system was activated to restore flight tracking and communication between aircraft and control centers. Airlines such as Vistara, Air India, and IndiGo acknowledged that the issue affected the entire northern air network, but quick action by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) helped prevent any major safety incidents.
A team from both AAI and DGCA began an immediate technical investigation to determine the cause of the system failure and ensure that similar disruptions can be avoided in the future.
What is ATC and why it matters?
The Air Traffic Control (ATC) system functions as the central traffic management system at airports, guiding aircraft both on the ground and in the air. Much like traffic police manage road movement, ATC controllers ensure safe and efficient spacing between aircraft, coordinate takeoffs and landings, and maintain communication with pilots.
As of late afternoon, flight operations gradually resumed normalcy, though delays continued to ripple across several airports.
- With inputs from agencies
