AAI Audits Airport Communication & Navigation Systems

New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) State-owned Airports Authority of India (AAI) is carrying out a comprehensive audit of all Communication, Navigation, and Surveillance equipment across the airports in the wake of the technical glitch with the air traffic control system at the Delhi airport that resulted in hundreds of flight delays last month.

The technical problem with the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS), which supports the air traffic control's flight planning process, resulted in flight delays and cancellations at the Delhi airport, the country's busiest airport, on November 7.

In a written reply to Rajya Sabha on Monday, Union minister Murlidhar Mohol said high latency in the processing and delivery of Air Traffic Service (ATS) messages to Air Traffic Management Automation System (ATMAS) and other stakeholders was observed at the Delhi airport on November 6 at 11 am


This had led to a delay in the delivery of Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunication Network (AFTN) messages, including Flight Plan (FPL), issuance of mandatory Flight Information Centre (FIC) number and Air Defence Clearances and therefore resulted in delays in 397 scheduled passenger departures from November 6 to November 8, Mohol said.

The Minister of State for Civil Aviation said that in response to the technical failure at the Delhi airport on Novemer 6 and November 7, 2025, Airports Authority of India (AAI) has been directed to carry out a comprehensive audit of all Communication, Navigation, and Surveillance (CNS) equipment across the airports to evaluate their condition, operational reliability, and lifecycle management.

AAI has also undertaken the replacement of the existing IP-based Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS) with the new Air Traffic Services Message Handling System (AMHS).