Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport experienced massive disruptions on Friday as a critical technical failure in the Air Traffic Control system led to delays affecting more than 300 flights, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and facing hours-long wait times.
What Caused the Massive Flight Delays?
The root of the problem was identified as a malfunction in the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS), a crucial software component that handles real-time flight data exchange between airports and aircraft. This system plays a vital role in managing aircraft movements during takeoff and landing, ensuring smooth coordination of flight schedules, weather updates, route plans, and necessary clearances.
With the AMSS system down, ATC officials were forced to manually prepare flight schedules using existing data, significantly slowing down operations and causing cascading delays throughout the day. The manual processing resulted in flights taking off at least an hour later than their scheduled times, completely disrupting the airport's daily timetable.
Passenger Guidance During the Crisis
For passengers affected by the widespread disruptions, airport authorities and aviation experts recommend several immediate steps. If your flight is among the affected operations, check official social media handles of Delhi Airport, Airport Authority of India, and your specific airline for real-time updates and revised flight schedules before heading to the airport.
Once at the airport, arriving 2-3 hours earlier than your scheduled departure can help manage the dynamic situation caused by manual flight scheduling. Passengers should directly contact airline counters or helplines for rebooking options, alternative flights, or refund processing according to their specific needs.
Understanding Your Compensation Rights
Under DGCA passenger protection guidelines, travelers have clear rights when facing flight cancellations or significant delays. If your flight is delayed for more than 2 hours or cancelled entirely, you are entitled to a full refund if you choose not to travel on alternative flights offered by the airline.
Airlines are legally required to provide alternative travel arrangements at no additional cost if passengers wish to continue their journey. For those who have already reported at the airport and are waiting for alternative flights, the airline must provide meals and refreshments during the waiting period.
To claim refunds or compensation, passengers should keep essential documents handy, including their flight booking ticket, web check-in pass, and boarding pass. These documents should be submitted through the airline's official website preferably within 7 days of flight cancellation to ensure smooth processing of claims.
As of the latest updates, Delhi Airport Authority has not provided specific information about when the AMSS system will be fully restored, advising passengers to maintain constant communication with their airlines for the most current flight status information.
