DigiYatra Glitches Spark Chaos at Mumbai and Delhi Airport Terminals

January 6, 2026 at 03:08 AM•2 min read

Passengers reported DigiYatra system failures at Mumbai and Delhi Airport Terminal 1, causing chaos and raising concerns about the biometric boarding process.

Key Points

1Passengers reported DigiYatra system failures at Mumbai and Delhi Airport Terminal 1 on Tuesday, citing chaos and long queues.
2A separate facial recognition glitch denied access to identical twin brothers at Mumbai Airport on Monday, flagging 'more than one person found with the same face'.
3The system, an initiative of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, has registered over 9 million active users and facilitated 42 million seamless journeys across 24 airports by late 2024.
4DigiYatra and Delhi Airport responded to the complaints, requesting further details for investigation.

Passengers at Mumbai and Delhi airports recently reported significant issues. The problems centered on the DigiYatra system failure at Terminal 1 of both major hubs. Users took to social media on Tuesday to flag major chaos and long queues.

One passenger at Mumbai Airport's T1 claimed the system failed. It was not recognizing their registered face. Another user at Delhi Airport (DEL) reported similar issues. They noted the system was not working for a Navi Mumbai destination. DigiYatra later clarified its services are not yet enabled at the Navi Mumbai International Airport. The rollout is being implemented in a phased manner.

Official Response and Technical Glitches

Both DigiYatra and Delhi Airport addressed the passenger complaints online. They requested users share flight details and error screenshots. The exact technical cause of the Tuesday system failure was not immediately clear.

This incident follows a separate, highly publicized facial recognition glitch. On Monday, identical twin brothers were denied access at Mumbai Airport. The system displayed an "Access denied" message. It cited the detection of "more than one person found with the same face". Experts suggest this response might be a built-in safety feature. It prevents identity overlap or misuse. However, it forced the registered users into manual verification queues.

Impact on Digital Travel Initiative

DigiYatra is an I.T. initiative of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. It uses face-biometric technology for a paperless experience. The goal is to provide seamless and hassle-free movement. The platform has seen rapid adoption across India.

By the end of 2024, the system registered over 9 million active users. It has facilitated more than 42 million seamless journeys. The system is now active across 24 airports nationwide. This growth highlights its potential to revolutionize the biometric boarding process.

However, repeated technical issues pose a challenge to user trust. The airport security technology must maintain high reliability. The system's collaboration with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) aims for global integration. Ensuring smooth Terminal 1 operations is crucial for this expansion. Continued glitches could slow the adoption of this key digital travel initiative. For more commercial aviation news, visit https://flying.flights.