Tech glitch at Delhi airport leads to flight delays at Kolkata
The Statesman | 8 November 2025
A massive technical glitch in the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) on Friday morning threw flight schedules across the country into disarray.
The glitch severely affected operations at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (NSCBI), Kolkata airport as well. Over 150 flights were delayed at IGI, and the cascading impact was felt at NSCBI, where dozens of departures and arrivals were rescheduled, leaving passengers stranded and frustrated.
Sources at the Kolkata airport said that since Friday morning, flights between Kolkata and Delhi — one of the busiest routes in the country — have been operating behind schedule, with delays ranging from 45 minutes to over two hours. “Several flights from Delhi are landing late, which is affecting turnaround times for departures from Kolkata,” an airport official said. “The congestion at the terminals has also increased, with waiting areas packed beyond capacity,” the official added.
The chaos began early in the day after a malfunction was detected in Delhi’s automatic message switching system (AMSS), which transmits crucial flight plan data to the Auto Track System (ATS) used by air traffic controllers. The disruption forced authorities to manage flights manually, resulting in long queues both in the skies and on the tarmac. Airlines, including Air India, IndiGo, Vistara, and SpiceJet issued advisories urging passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
An IndiGo spokesperson said: “A technical issue with the ATC system in Delhi is impacting flight operations across several northern airports, including Kolkata. We regret the inconvenience and appreciate passengers’ patience.” Air India, in a statement on X, described the situation as “an unforeseen disruption beyond our control” and confirmed that both cabin and ground staff were assisting travellers at airports.
SpiceJet also warned passengers of potential delays and advised them to reconfirm flight timings through official channels. Kolkata airport officials echoed similar concerns, saying that the terminal witnessed “extraordinary footfall” through the day as incoming passengers from delayed Delhi flights converged with those awaiting departures. “The crowd is immense. Announcements are being made continuously, and staff has been deployed to assist elderly passengers,” said an airport staff member.
Meanwhile, an unrelated incident added to the tense atmosphere near the airport. A state-run bus travelling from Asansol to Kolkata caught fire near Gate No. 1 of the airport on Friday morning, triggering panic among commuters. Eyewitnesses said smoke began billowing from the engine before flames engulfed the front of the vehicle. All passengers managed to evacuate safely before firefighters and airport police arrived at the scene to douse the blaze. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
Airport authorities have urged passengers to maintain contact with their respective airlines for real-time updates on flight schedules. As the ATC glitch in Delhi continues to affect air traffic in several northern regions, normal operations are expected to resume only after the system is fully restored.