IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers resigns months after airline’s worst-ever flight crisis

New Delhi: Pieter Elbers has resigned as the CEO of IndiGo, the country’s largest airline operated by InterGlobe Aviation Limited, following the low-cost carrier’s worst-ever flight crisis in December last year, it was informed on Tuesday.

In a filing to exchanges, the airline said that Rahul Bhatia, Managing Director of InterGlobe Aviation, has taken charge of the airline’s management on an interim basis.

“With immediate effect, Pieter Elbers will be stepping down as IndiGo CEO. The Board of Directors would like to thank Pieter for his contribution and service to the organisation and wishes him well in his future endeavours,” the low-cost airline said.

“Rahul Bhatia, Managing Director of IndiGo, shall in the interim assume management of the affairs of the airline until such time that the Company announces the arrival of a new leader, which is expected in short order,” it added in its regulatory filing.

Vikram Singh Mehta, Chairman of the Board, said that Bhatia returns to assume management of the affairs of the airline to strengthen the company’s culture, reinforce operational excellence and deepen its commitment to delivering exceptional service of care, reliability and professionalism to its customers.

“Having founded and nurtured IndiGo for twenty-two years, I feel a deep sense of personal commitment and responsibility towards our nation, and towards the airline’s customers, employees, shareholders and all other stakeholders”, Bhatia said.

Elbers, who took over as IndiGo CEO a little over three years ago, oversaw a period of strong growth for the airline.

During his tenure, IndiGo crossed the $10 billion revenue mark and expanded its fleet to more than 440 aircraft.

The airline also placed a historic order for 500 A320-family aircraft with Airbus, one of the largest aircraft orders in aviation history.

However, despite these achievements, Elbers’ tenure was overshadowed by a major operational crisis in December 2025.

The disruption was triggered when the airline struggled to implement new rules aimed at preventing pilot fatigue.

Between December 3 and December 5, IndiGo cancelled more than 2,500 flights and delayed nearly 1,900 others, affecting over 300,000 passengers across the country.

IANS