A major outage on Wednesday morning threw airport operations across India into disarray, forcing several airlines to fall back on manual check-ins and leaving passengers stuck in unusually long queues. The problem began when a global issue with Microsoft Windows services caused airport IT systems to crash, disrupting the software that airlines use for check-in and boarding.
The impact was immediate. IndiGo, SpiceJet, Akasa Air and Air India Express were among the worst hit, with their counters going offline at airports around the country. With digital systems down, airline staff had no choice but to return to pen-and-paper processes, which slowed everything from issuing boarding passes to verifying baggage.
Reacting to the matter, Indigo said in a statement, "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. We regret the inconvenience caused to our valued customers due to these disruptions."
At some busy airports, passengers said they waited nearly an hour just to reach the counter. Many were worried about missing their flights, while others were frustrated by the lack of early communication. Airport officials, however, stressed that the disruption was linked to a global outage and that teams were doing their best to keep people moving.
Varanasi Airport was one of the first to publicly acknowledge the problem, as per a report by PTI. The airport put up a clear notice for travellers stating that a “major service outage” in Microsoft Windows had affected the check-in systems. It also informed passengers that airlines were shifting to manual processes until the issue was resolved. Microsoft, however, has denied claims of an outage that could have caused disruptions to the check-in systems.
Delhi Airport also posted an advisory on X, saying that some domestic airlines were facing operational challenges and warning passengers that delays were likely. The note reassured travellers that airport teams were coordinating closely with all stakeholders to restore normal operations as quickly as possible.
For the airlines, the outage came at a particularly difficult time of day when morning traffic is at its peak. IndiGo and Akasa Air both confirmed that their systems were affected and advised passengers to arrive early. Air India Express and SpiceJet also reported delays, though they noted that flights were still operating as staff worked through the backlog manually.
By afternoon, some airports began to report gradual recovery as systems restarted. However, the ripple effect of the morning disruption meant many flights were delayed, and some passengers spent longer than usual waiting to board.
The incident highlights how dependent airport operations have become on interconnected digital systems. A single global outage, even if brief, can bring check-in halls to a crawl. For travellers caught in Wednesday’s disruption, it was a reminder of how quickly technology can both power and pause the pace of modern air travel.
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