The schedule of over 21 flights was affected due to a glitch in the computerized check-in, baggage handling and aircraft docking system of the Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.
The IT system installed at the airport, managed by the airport operator Delhi International Airport limited (DIAl), developed a snag at around 8.20 am. The malfunction could be rectified only by 9.40 am, during which operations were carried out manually. Due to this, 20 domestic, including nine of Air India, and an international flight departing from the airport were delayed by up to one-and-a-half hours, airport sources said.
The glitch in the computer system led to malfunctioning of CUTE (Common User Terminal Equipment) systems, which help streamline reservation system at the airport and facilitates check-in of passengers of individual airlines from a common terminal, forcing the airlines to do the check-in manually. The airlines and passengers faced problems in boarding aircraft. The boarding gates and baggage belts were not functioning properly due to which everything had to be done manually, a senior airline official said.
The official said the Visual Docking Guidance System (VDGS), which gives information to a pilot about parking a plane, was also not working properly, airport sources said, adding the aircraft had to be guided to their stands by the marshals.
Though DIAl claimed that once the snag was resolved, all systems were functional in a full fledged manner, airline officials rued that even though the system was restored, it functioned erratically, continuing to delay flights.
A DIAl spokesperson said, "A technical glitch was observed at T3 at 8.20 AM which was fully restored at 9.40 AM. This led to some interruption in passenger processing and information display services. All systems are fully functional now." IGI airport witnesses a great departure rush between 5 am and 9 am. As most of the flights had taken off, only a few departures were affected, they said.
The officials claimed that as Terminal 3 has less number of domestic departures compared to Terminal 1-D that caters to all low-cost carriers.
CISF to take over cargo terminal security
With concerns being raised about vulnerability to terrorist attacks, the cargo terminals of sensitive and big airports such as Delhi and Mumbai will now be under the security cover of paramilitary CISF. The CISF which is the designated force to guard 59 civil airports of the country, will take over the cargo terminals of almost eight big airports in Metro cities soon. "It is proposed that we take over the cargo terminals of eight big airports in the first step. More such terminals could be given to us to ensure fool-proof security," CISF Director General Rajiv said. Till now the terminals were guarded by private security personnel of the airport developer or the Airports Authority of India (AAI).