Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Feb 19: A technical failure in the Navitaire system, widely used by airlines for bookings and check-ins, disrupted flight operations at major airports across India on Thursday morning, leading to delays and long queues during peak travel hours.
The glitch began around 6:45 am at Indira Gandhi International Airport and lasted for approximately 45 minutes before being rectified by 7:30 am. During the outage, airlines were unable to access reservation and check-in systems, forcing staff to process passengers manually.
Airlines including IndiGo, Akasa Air, and Air India Express were affected by the disruption. Sources said IndiGo managed to restore its operations within about 25 minutes, but the sudden system failure created a backlog that continued even after services resumed.
Passengers at Delhi airport reported long queues at check-in counters as airline staff struggled to manage the surge manually. The outage occurred during the busy morning departure window, compounding inconvenience for travellers.
The technical snag also impacted operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, where passengers experienced delays and crowding at check-in areas. With the Navitaire system temporarily down, airline personnel were forced to rely on manual verification and boarding processes, slowing down passenger movement.
Navitaire provides core technology solutions for airlines, including reservations, ticketing, check-in and boarding management. Any disruption to the platform can significantly affect airport operations, triggering delays that ripple through flight schedules.
The incident has drawn comparisons to a major disruption in November last year, when a technical issue in the Air Traffic Control system at Delhi airport led to delays for over 800 flights. The recurrence of such glitches has raised concerns about the resilience of critical aviation infrastructure.
Delhi airport, the busiest in the country, handles over 1,500 flight movements daily, while Mumbai airport manages around 1,000. Thursday’s outage has once again underscored the heavy reliance of Indian airports and airlines on advanced digital systems to ensure smooth and timely travel.