'Tired, hungry and helpless': Netizens vent fury as ATC glitch disrupts operations at Delhi airport

NEW DELHI: Passengers stranded at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on Friday took to social media to express their frustration over delays caused by an air traffic control (ATC) system glitch. Ishita (@dayespecial) tweeted, “It is a nightmare to be sitting in an aircraft for 2 hours due to massive signal failure. 90 flights are queued up and there is no clarity when we will take off. There could be failures but why can’t you inform passengers before boarding?” Anita (@ajoradarti) shared her ordeal, writing, “No update, no communication, travelled 3 hrs to airport, now 3 hrs delay. Reached 2 hrs earlier. Total 8 hrs waiting, no help.”

Mohit Singh Rathore (@MohitSRathore) highlighted the lack of transparency: “In today’s age of advanced aviation technology, how can an ATC system failure at a major international airport go unattended for this long? Passengers deserve timely communication, especially when safety and schedules are at stake.” Sanjay Koul Arigam (@budgamboy) added a lighter take, comparing the scene to a reality show: “Delhi airport right now feels like an airport-themed reality show – ATC issues, delayed flights, long queues, confused staff, and passengers practicing the art of patience.”

Others pointed to the broader chaos. Mickey (@MetarSpeci) noted, “Heavy chaos in Delhi air operations. ATC system not working and 2–3 hrs delay in getting ATC clearance as all being done manually. The backup of automation should be automation only and not manual mode like 70s.”Inside the terminals, scenes of chaos unfolded as passengers queued near boarding gates and information counters, anxiously seeking updates.

Display boards across terminals repeatedly flashed the dreaded red ‘Delayed’ sign. At the arrival area, frustration was evident among passengers who had already endured extended waiting hours at other airports.“I had to wait at Belagavi Airport for more than an hour as my Delhi flight was delayed by 40 minutes,” said Jagan, a businessman from Karnataka. “I got to know about the delay only after reaching the airport.

The rescheduled flight will cost me business today.”Outside the airport, the disruption spilled over to taxi stands, where long queues and confusion prevailed. Many passengers who had prebooked cabs missed their rides due to delayed arrivals. Rajendran, who flew in from Ayodhya with his ailing wife, rushed out of Terminal 1 saying, “I just want to get a cab for my wife as she can’t stand for long outside due to diabetes.”

His flight, QP1607, scheduled to arrive by 12.15pm, landed in Delhi only by 1.39pm.For many, the glitch meant more than just inconvenience — it led to missed connections and disrupted itineraries across cities. Happy Dhaliwal, who was waiting for his sister and her child to arrive, said, “Due to repeated rescheduling, they will miss their connecting flight. They were stranded in Amritsar for hours.” Their flight, AI1884, was scheduled to depart Amritsar at 7.55am but finally took off around 1pm. Despite widespread frustration, airlines responded on social media. Air India and IndiGo and many others reached out to affected passengers, asking them to share details for assistance and assuring support wherever possible. Passengers’ complaints reflected not just the delays but also a lack of real-time information and communication, a sentiment echoed across X as frustrated flyers documented their experiences. Officials have since indicated that ATC operations are gradually improving, and flight clearances are being restored to normal, easing the backlog at IGI Airport.