First GPS Spoofing, Now A Tech Glitch - What’s Causing Chaos At Delhi’s IGI Airport?

Over 100 flights were delayed at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) on Friday after a technical glitch crippled the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system. The Delhi Airport Authority confirmed that both arrivals and departures were affected, with controllers forced to prepare flight plans manually.

“The inconvenience is deeply regretted. Passengers are advised to stay in touch with their respective airlines for the latest updates,” the Delhi Airport said in an advisory.
According to data from flight-tracking platform Flightradar24, the average delay for flight departures stood at around 50 minutes. The disruption is significant given that IGIA handles over 1,500 flight movements daily, making it India’s busiest airport.

Airlines Issue Passenger Advisories
Airlines, including SpiceJet, IndiGo, and Air India, issued alerts on X (formerly Twitter), warning passengers of widespread congestion and delays.
SpiceJet urged travelers to “keep a check on flight status” through its website, while IndiGo said operations across Delhi and other northern regions were affected due to the ongoing ATC issue.

“We understand that extended wait times both on the ground and onboard may cause inconvenience. Our teams are working hard to make your experience as smooth as possible,” IndiGo said in a statement.
 

Air India also confirmed that the glitch had impacted all carriers, adding, “Our cabin crew and on-ground staff at the airport are extending immediate assistance to reduce passenger inconvenience. We request you to check your flight status at Air India’s website before heading to the airport.”
 

The Source of the Glitch
According to media reports, the issue stems from a malfunction in the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS), the backbone of the ATC network that feeds flight data into the Auto Track System (ATS) to generate flight plans.

Since Thursday evening, air traffic controllers have been unable to retrieve flight plans automatically, forcing them to input details manually — a laborious process leading to cascading delays. Authorities are currently working to restore normal operations.

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Second Major Disruption in a Week
This is the second major disruption at IGIA in less than a week. Earlier, flight operations were hampered due to GPS spoofing and an abrupt change in wind direction, which caused severe congestion in the skies.

GPS spoofing, a rising concern in global aviation, involves transmitting fake GPS signals from the ground to mislead aircraft about their actual position.
Unlike jamming, which blocks signals, spoofing feeds false coordinates, tricking navigation systems into showing incorrect flight paths or altitudes. For instance, a plane flying over Delhi could appear to be over Nepal on cockpit instruments, posing serious risks during approach or landing phases.