Air Traffic Control: Delhi Airport ATC Glitch Delays Over 300 Flights, Passengers Face Major Disruption

Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi experienced significant disruptions to air travel on. Friday due to a technical malfunction in its Air Traffic Control (ATC) system. This glitch resulted in delays for over 300 flights, causing immense inconvenience to thousands of passengers. The issue, stemming from a fault in the Automatic Message Switch System (AMSS), has persisted since Thursday evening, hindering the automated management of aircraft take-off and landing schedules.

Root Cause of the Technical Malfunction

According to news agency PTI, the primary reason behind the technical snag at Delhi Airport's Air Traffic Control system is a malfunction in the Automatic Message Switch System (AMSS). This critical system is responsible for automatically transmitting information regarding aircraft take-offs and landings. With the AMSS not functioning correctly, air controllers are unable to receive precise and timely flight schedules automatically, forcing them to resort to manual operations. This manual process is inherently slower and more time-consuming, directly leading to the widespread flight delays.

Manual Operations and Cascading Delays

Following the technical fault, air traffic controllers have been compelled to manually prepare flight schedules using existing data. This is a complex and laborious task, resulting in many flights departing an hour or more behind their scheduled times. Data from flight tracking website Flightradar24. Com indicated that on Thursday, a staggering 513 flights were delayed due to. The same issue, highlighting the severity and ongoing nature of the technical problem. The trend continued into Friday, affecting over 300 flights.

Significant Passenger Inconvenience

The ripple effect of these flight delays has been most acutely felt by passengers. They faced prolonged waits at check-in counters, after security checks, and then at their respective gates, while boarding delays meant passengers were stranded at the airport for hours. This situation Importantly increased the risk for those with connecting flights, as the delays made it highly probable they would miss their onward journeys. Such circumstances not only caused physical fatigue but also led to considerable mental stress and uncertainty among travelers.

Widespread Impact on Airport Operations

Delhi Airport is one of India's busiest air hubs, handling over 1,500 flights daily. The ATC system malfunction has severely impacted the operations of both airlines and the airport itself. Aircraft not landing and taking off on time led to increased pressure on runways, parking bays, and terminal gates. This compromised the overall efficiency of airport operations and disrupted normal functioning. Airlines also had to re-schedule their crew and aircraft rotations, leading to increased operational costs and logistical challenges.

Ripple Effect on Other Airports

The technical glitch at Delhi Airport wasn't confined to the capital alone; its effects were observed at other airports across the country. Delays in flights originating from or destined for Delhi impacted schedules at airports such as Bettiah, Lucknow, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Bhopal, and Ahmedabad. This demonstrates the interconnected nature of the air traffic system, where a problem at a major hub can cause disruptions across the entire network, affecting regional air travel Importantly.

Compounding Delays for Upcoming Flights

A delay in one flight often triggers a chain reaction, subsequently affecting the schedules of upcoming flights, while since aircraft and crew operate multiple flights according to a fixed timetable, an initial delay can disrupt the entire day's schedule. This means passengers face even longer waits, and airlines encounter additional challenges in adjusting their operations, leading to a compounding effect on the overall flight network and passenger experience.

Understanding the Role and Importance of ATC

Air Traffic Control (ATC) is a central controlling system present at every airport, while it issues crucial instructions to aircraft for safe navigation while taxiing on the ground, during take-off, in the air, and across different segments of airspace. In simpler terms, ATC functions much like traffic police for aircraft, ensuring that planes maintain safe distances from each other and avoid collisions. Systems like AMSS are vital for the smooth and efficient operation of ATC, making their malfunction a critical issue.

Specific Impacts at Ahmedabad and Amritsar Airports

Five flights arriving from Delhi were affected at Ahmedabad Airport due to the delays. Smartwings flight SG 8193 was delayed by over three hours, Air India's AI 2959 by more than two and a half hours, Indigo's Boeing 2033 by over two hours, and Akasa Air's QP 1334 by more than one and a half hours. Air India's 2715 flight also experienced delays. Similarly, five flights to and from Delhi were affected at Amritsar Airport, with Indigo's 6E2506 delayed by one hour, Air India's AI. 1884 by five hours, Air India's AI496 by one hour and fifteen minutes, Indigo's 6E6848 by two hours, and Air India's AI492 by half an hour. These examples illustrate the profound regional impact of the problem originating in Delhi. The situation caused by the technical malfunction in Delhi Airport's Air. Traffic Control system has become a significant challenge for air travel. Despite manual operations by air controllers, the cascade of flight delays continues, causing distress to both passengers and airlines. A swift resolution to this issue is anticipated to restore normalcy to air traffic operations.