Flights hit across India as glitch impacts check-ins, chaos at Hyderabad airport

Check-in systems at several airports experienced disruptions on Wednesday morning due to a system outage, according to a PTI report. Sources also informed PTI that some flights have been delayed due to the issues.
"Microsoft Windows reports major service outages globally. IT services/ check in systems at airports are impacted," passengers at Varanasi airport were informed via a notice.
The notice revealed that at least four carriers, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Akasa Air, and Air India Express, were impacted at the airport. There were no immediate comments from Microsoft or the airlines. Airlines have reportedly resorted to manual check-in and boarding procedures to manage operations.
CHAOS AT HYDERABAD AIRPORT
This glitch likely contributed to chaotic scenes at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. A video from the airport showed a large crowd of passengers gathered around an airline helpdesk on Wednesday morning, seeking information about their flights.
Travellers were seen holding up tickets and mobile phones, raising their voices, and pressing staff for updates amid the delays.
Meanwhile, flight operations at Bengaluru International Airport were significantly disrupted, with four flights delayed due to late arrivals and several IndiGo services were cancelled for operational reasons.
The airline recorded a total of 42 cancellations on the day, including 22 arrivals and 20 departures.
Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) on Wednesday morning also posted an advisory on X and said that some domestic airlines were facing operational challenges, which could lead to delays or schedule disruptions.
"Our on-ground teams are diligently working with all stakeholders to ensure a seamless and efficient passenger experience," DIAL said in a post on X at 7.40 am.
AIRLINES SHARE UPDATES
Airlines also provided updates on the situation. Air India confirmed in an updated post on X that the third-party system has been fully restored, and check-in at all airports is now functioning normally.
"The third-party system has been fully restored, and check-in at all airports is functioning normally. All our flights are operating as per schedule. We thank our passengers for their understanding," Air India said in an updated post on X.
IndiGo, meanwhile, said it had faced several unavoidable flight delays and some cancellations in recent days due to a combination of technology issues, airport congestion, and operational requirements.
"We have had several unavoidable flight delays and some cancellations in the past few days due to various reasons, including technology issues, airport congestion, and operational requirements. Our teams are working diligently to ensure that operations normalise as soon as possible. Furthermore, we are offering alternate flight options or refunds to affected customer, as applicable," IndiGo said.
TECHNICAL GLITCH AT DELHI AIRPORT LAST MONTH
In a similar incident last month, over 800 domestic and international flights at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport were delayed due to a technical fault in the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS).
The disruption affected major carriers, including Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet, causing longer queues and slower airport operations.
The issue, detected in the IP-based AMSS system, prompted a review meeting led by the Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) with the AAI Chairman, Member ANS, and other officials, who issued necessary directives to resolve the problem.
As a result of the glitch, air traffic controllers had to manually prepare flight plans using available data—a time-consuming process that contributed to the widespread delays.
- Ends