Mumbai: Air India on Saturday issued a travel advisory cautioning passengers about potential delays at Mumbai Airport after a third-party data network outage disrupted check-in systems after the glitch affecting departures for several airlines, including Air India.

The carrier said the impacted systems have now been restored, but some flights could still face delays as operations gradually return to normal. Passengers have been advised to verify flight statuses before heading to the airport.

"A third-party data network outage had impacted check-in systems at Mumbai airport, thereby delaying flight departures of airlines, including Air India. The systems have since been restored, however, some of our flights may continue to be affected for some time as the situation normalises progressively," Air India said in a post on X.

The disruption coincided with a surge in passenger traffic as the Raksha Bandhan festival fell on the weekend, boosting travel demand nationwide.

Meanwhile, heavy rainfall led to delays for over 300 flights at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) on Saturday, India Today reported, citing officials.

Although no diversions were reported, some flights were cancelled.

According to Flightradar24, the airport — which manages about 1,300 flight movements daily — recorded average departure delays of roughly 17 minutes.

Air India raises pilot retirement age to 65

In a separate development, Air India has increased the retirement age for its pilots to 65 and for non-flying staff to 60, up from 58.

CEO & MD Campbell Wilson announced the policy during a town hall, aligning the airline’s norms with those of the former Vistara.

The airline employs around 24,000 people, including 3,600 pilots and 9,500 cabin crew. It remains unclear whether cabin crew retirement age will also rise.

The change follows the November 2024 merger with Vistara and addresses pilots’ concerns over unequal retirement policies.

Many pilots had already been granted extensions up to the DGCA’s regulatory maximum of 65 years.