New Delhi— Check-in systems at several airports across India malfunctioned on Wednesday morning due to a widespread technical disruption, causing delays for multiple flights. A source confirmed that the outage affected operations at various airports, leading airlines to slow down or temporarily halt automated check-in and boarding processes.
A passenger advisory displayed at Varanasi airport claimed the disruption was linked to a global Microsoft Windows outage, but the company immediately refuted the claim. Microsoft stated that no such outage had been reported and called the message “factually incorrect.” Real-time outage tracker Downdetector also showed no indication of any Windows-related service disruption.
Despite Microsoft’s denial, the message at Varanasi airport informed travellers that major service issues had been reported and that airlines had shifted to manual check-in and boarding. At least four major carriers—IndiGo, SpiceJet, Akasa Air and Air India Express—were reportedly impacted, though the specific cause of the malfunction remained unclear.
Airlines did not issue immediate statements on the situation. Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) acknowledged operational challenges affecting some domestic airlines and warned of possible delays or scheduling issues. DIAL added that ground teams were coordinating with all stakeholders to stabilise services and assist affected passengers.
Authorities are still working to determine the exact reason behind the system failure.
