A massive technical glitch in the Air Traffic Control (ATC) server at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on Sunday morning led to chaos and delays, grounding over a hundred departing flights and leaving thousands of passengers stranded.
According to airport sources, the technical snag struck earlier in the day, disrupting takeoff schedules and causing long waiting hours at boarding gates. Terminals were packed as departure queues grew, with several airlines struggling to reschedule affected flights. Though arrivals and departures resumed after a brief pause, the ripple effect caused widespread mayhem across the airport.
“The system error affected outgoing flights primarily. Our technical teams, along with DIAL and ATC engineers, are working round the clock to restore normalcy,” an airport official said. “While partial services have resumed, some delays are expected to continue through the day.”
The ATC authorities issued a statement apologizing for the disruption and advised passengers to stay in touch with their airlines for the latest flight information. “We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to passengers. The technical issue is being addressed to minimize further delays,” the statement read.
Leading carriers including IndiGo and Air India also acknowledged the disruption. IndiGo, in a social media update, urged passengers to check its website for real-time updates on flight statuses, while Air India requested travellers to remain patient as “delayed departures or arrivals may occur due to ongoing system restoration efforts.”
The incident has once again exposed the fragility of critical aviation infrastructure and highlighted the urgent need for robust contingency systems to prevent large-scale disruptions.
As of evening, repair work continued with officials expressing confidence that operations would gradually stabilize. “We expect the system to be fully functional soon,” a senior DIAL official confirmed.