Mumbai: In a rare disruption, IndiGo Airlines faced a significant system outage on Saturday (Oct 5), creating widespread chaos and delays at airports across the country.

The airline reported a temporary “system slowdown” around 12:30 pm, which affected its website and booking system, leaving passengers stranded at airports and causing long queues at check-in counters.

Just after 6pm, the airline said that while airport systems are up and running, it may take some time to get back to normal.

IndiGo is India’s largest airline flying six out of 10 domestic passengers. It operates more than 2,000 flights per day.

"We are currently experiencing a temporary system slowdown across our network, affecting our website and booking system. As a result, customers may face increased wait times, including slower check-ins and longer queues at the airport," the airline said in a statement.

The company added that their team is working to address the situation and assist everyone and ensure a smooth journey. "Be assured, we are working diligently to restore stability and normalcy as quickly as possible," IndiGo added.

Visuals purportedly from the airports shared online showed large crowds waiting in the check-in area.

Several people on the internet complained that they were unable to book tickets or use other services as the outage unfolded.

One of the users on X said, "@IndiGo6E your services are down. I'm not able to book any Indigo flight on any platform, including your own!".

A flyer, Rohit Gandhi, tweeted, "Indigo airlines computer systems have crashed and they have a massive backup at airports. I am in Kolkata taking off. Is anyplace else is India having a similar issue".

However, the company has not announced a tentative timeline to resolve the issue and resume operations.

Noted that, In July, the airline faced a technical disruption due to the global outage of Microsoft systems which forced cancellation of over 1,000 flights.

-B