Technical Glitch at Delhi Airport Causes Widespread Flight Delays Affecting Major Airlines

On Friday morning, a technical glitch in the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS), a crucial component for Air Traffic Control (ATC) data transmission, led to substantial flight delays at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA). This system failure slowed down communication between aircraft and ATC, forcing controllers to manage flights manually. This manual intervention resulted in congestion, delayed clearances, and a cascading effect of delays for airlines such as IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet, impacting flight schedules across northern India. The airport authority confirmed the system was gradually improving and operations were returning to normal by late morning, but advised passengers to check flight statuses. IndiGo, India's largest low-cost carrier, was among the worst hit, issuing advisories about ongoing delays. According to Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), over 100 flights were delayed due to the outage. By Friday afternoon, operations were largely back to normal, with airlines working to clear the backlog.

Impact: This technical issue caused immediate operational disruption and financial strain for airlines and airport authorities due to flight cancellations, rebookings, potential compensation payouts, and lost revenue. The short-term impact on stock prices of affected airlines might be negative due to these costs and customer dissatisfaction, though recovery is expected once normal operations resume. Rating: 5/10

Difficult Terms Explained: AMSS (Automatic Message Switching System): A system used in aviation to automatically transmit and switch messages containing critical flight data between air traffic control units, airlines, and other aviation stakeholders. Air Traffic Control (ATC): A service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and through controlled airspace, ensuring safety and efficient movement of air traffic. It relies on systems like AMSS for data exchange.