Chaos in Mumbai Airport as systems network crashes, Metro digging blamed

Mumbai: Chaos prevailed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) here after a computer systems failure hit check-ins and other operations of all airlines, sources said on Thursday.

The 'culprit' is allegedly the ongoing digging work for a Mumbai Metro line in the CSMIA vicinity that reportedly snapped a main cable of a major utility company, the sources said.

An official spokesperson for Mumbai Airport attributed the glitch to "a temporary network interruption outside the airport due to ongoing development work in the city".

"Our teams are present on the ground and manual processing has been initiated to facilitate the passengers. They are requested to allocate additional time for check-in and also to connect with their respective airlines," the spokesperson said.

The abrupt breakdown in the computer systems led to massive crowds of passengers who could be seen sitting or moving around with their luggage in Terminal 2.

However, officials assured the passengers that the issue is being rectified and the systems are likely to be made operational soon, though no time-limit has been given as to when the systems will be up.

Meanwhile, harried passengers took to social media to vent their ire and frustration over the unexpected delays, posted pictures of the overcrowding inside the terminal or queues of passengers building up outside.

Many even expressed concern for other passengers, and advised them to reach the airport well in time to avoid missing flights owing to the technical glitch.