Navitaire system outage causes check-in delays in India
By Alice Mariscotti-Wyatt
Last updated on 20 February 2026
A short Navitaire IT system outage on 19 February disrupted airline check-in and boarding across India. IndiGo, Akasa Air, and SpiceJet were affected, with Delhi and Mumbai airports seeing queues and delays as staff switched to manual processing.
The outage occurred between 6:45–7:28 a.m. IST and again from 8:10–8:25 a.m. IST, before services were restored. Airlines reported delays but no widespread cancellations. Navitaire cited network instability from a planned maintenance change.
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Two brief outages of the Navitaire IT system on 19 February 2026 disrupted airline operations across India and had knock-on effects in parts of the Asia-Pacific region and Europe. In India, low-cost carriers that use Navitaire—IndiGo, Akasa Air, and SpiceJet—were affected, while Air India, which operates on a separate platform, was largely unaffected.
The disruption occurred in two intervals: approximately 6:45 a.m. to 7:28 a.m. IST, followed by intermittent issues between 8:10 a.m. and 8:25 a.m. IST. During these windows, automated check-in kiosks and some departure processes went offline, prompting airlines and airport staff to switch to manual check-in and boarding procedures.
Major Indian hubs, including Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, experienced congestion and delays, particularly during the morning peak. Long queues formed at check-in counters as systems were worked around manually. Despite operational disruption, airlines implemented contingency procedures to keep flights moving, and there were delays reported without widespread cancellations.
Officials in Delhi noted that the outage coincided with increased operational pressure linked to the AI Summit 2026, including multiple VIP movements. A Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) imposing temporary flight restrictions around Delhi compounded the congestion during the same period.
Navitaire attributed the incident to unexpected network instability triggered by a planned maintenance change. Technical teams responded immediately, and services were restored to normal roughly 50 minutes after the first issues began. The company said all systems were operating normally after resolution.
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These are your air passenger rights:
When your flight's disrupted, you have rights. Most passenger protection laws cover the following:
Rerouting or refund
If your flight is canceled, your airline must provide an alternative. Some laws say you can choose a full refund instead.
Food and essential care
Providing food and drinks is a basic right under many regulations. Typically after a delay of a few hours.
Accommodation
Some passenger rights say the airline must provide accommodation when your journey is delayed overnight.
Compensation
Good passenger rights ensure passengers get fairly compensated for delays and cancellations. Try our compensation check and find out how much money we can get you.
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Quick facts
Disruption:
Delay
Cause:
IT problem
Compensation:
Not eligible for compensation
Status:
Past disruption
Start date:
2026-02-19
End date:
2026-02-19
Airlines affected:
IndiGo, Akasa Air, Air India Express, SpiceJet
Airports affected:
Indira Gandhi International Airport, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport
Checked by:
Alice Mariscotti-Wyatt
Date updated:
20 February 2026
