IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers stepped down from his position with immediate effect on Tuesday, the company announced. The development comes months after the airline faced a major operational crisis in December that led to weeks-long disruptions to flights across the country.
Rahul Bhatia, managing director of IndiGo, will serve as interim CEO and oversee the airline’s operations until a new chief executive is appointed. The company said it expects to name a replacement soon.
Elbers cited personal reasons for his decision to step down from the role. In his resignation he wrote, “As per our conversation, due to personal reasons, I herewith submit my resignation from the position of CEO of IndiGo with effect from today. I would request that notice period may be waived off.”
2 March 2026
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IndiGo Interim CEO
Rahul Bhatia, managing director of IndiGo, will serve as interim CEO and oversee the airline’s operations until a new chief executive is appointed. The company said it expects to name a replacement soon.
"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. He added, "While placing Culture, Service Excellence and Stakeholder Trust at the forefront of its operations, IndiGo will continue to sharpen its strategic focus on serving India and her people with an airline that is professionally managed, operationally reliable and globally respected."
IndiGo Crisis
Elbers took charge of IndiGo in September 2022. He had been under sustained pressure after the airline’s operational crisis in December last year.
In November and December alone, IndiGo cancelled more than 5,000 flights, affecting nearly six lakh passengers. The situation prompted intervention from the aviation regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation, which imposed penalties totalling ₹22.20 crore on the airline along with other corrective measures.
The disruptions significantly dented the airline’s reputation and led to the grounding and cancellation of hundreds of flights across the country.
The operational issues were largely attributed to crew shortages following the implementation of new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms. The second and final phase of the revised crew rest and duty rules came into effect in November, placing additional pressure on airline operations and scheduling.
Operational performance deteriorated sharply during the crisis. On December 3, only 19.7% of IndiGo’s flights operated on time, down from 35% the previous day and around 50% on December 1. The situation led to long queues and chaos at several Indian airports, while social media platforms were flooded with complaints from frustrated passengers facing extended delays and cancellations.
