Technical Glitch Halts Delhi Airport Operations, Over 100 Flights Delayed

Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in Delhi faced major disruptions today, with over 100 flights delayed due to a technical failure in its Air Traffic Control (ATC) system. Both incoming and outgoing flights were affected, leading to an average departure delay of about 50 minutes. This incident caused considerable inconvenience to thousands of passengers.

The core of the problem lies in a glitch within the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS). This system is crucial for feeding flight data to the Auto Track System (ATS), which generates flight plans. Since Thursday evening, air traffic controllers have been unable to retrieve these plans automatically and have had to resort to manual entry, a process that is significantly slower and prone to causing congestion.

The delays have impacted all airlines operating from Delhi, with SpiceJet, IndiGo, and Air India issuing advisories to passengers. The disruption at IGIA, which handles over 1,500 flights daily, puts a strain on airline schedules and airport operations. This is the second significant disruption this week, following delays caused by GPS spoofing and wind shifts, raising concerns about the robustness of air traffic management systems.

Impact: This event directly impacts the operational efficiency and customer experience for airlines, potentially leading to increased costs and passenger dissatisfaction. For the broader Indian aviation sector, it highlights recurring vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure. Rating: 7/10

Difficult Terms: Air Traffic Control (ATC): The service responsible for managing air traffic and preventing collisions between aircraft. Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS): A component of the ATC system that handles the automatic transmission and switching of messages related to flight data. Auto Track System (ATS): A system used in air traffic control to track aircraft and generate flight plans. GPS spoofing: A type of electronic attack where a device transmits signals that mimic legitimate GPS signals, misleading navigation systems about an aircraft's actual location.