IndiGo restores 2,200 flights, focuses on rebuilding: CEO

IndiGo has begun to emerge from a turbulent chapter, with chief executive officer Pieter Elbers announcing on Thursday that the airline has restored operations to 2,200 flights a day and that the worst of the recent disruption is now firmly in the past.

In a video message to employees, Elbers said the airline’s teams had stood shoulder to shoulder through a difficult period, supporting one another to steadily bring the vast network back on track.

“On 9 December, I spoke about stabilising IndiGo’s operations. Since then, we have restored our network to 2,200 flights today,” he said.

The CEO expressed heartfelt gratitude to pilots, cabin crew, airport teams, operations control centre staff, customer service personnel and employees across departments, crediting their collective effort for the swift recovery.

He said the speed and scale of the turnaround reflected the airline’s core strength — teamwork guided by strong operating principles. “Given our scale and complexity, recovering from such a situation in a short time is a testament to our teamwork and the strength of our operating principles,” Elbers said.

With stability returning, the airline is now turning its gaze to the future. Elbers outlined three priorities: strengthening resilience, conducting a detailed root cause analysis, and rebuilding systems to emerge stronger than before.

“Now we focus on three things: resilience, root cause analysis and rebuilding,” he noted.

Addressing speculation around the disruption, Elbers urged employees to remain calm, stay focused on their professional responsibilities and steer clear of rumours. He said the IndiGo board has appointed an external aviation expert to carry out a comprehensive and independent root cause analysis.

The CEO acknowledged that large airlines around the world have faced similar crises, adding that while no two disruptions are the same, lessons drawn from global experiences will help fortify IndiGo’s systems.

Elbers also said the leadership team — including himself — will travel across the network to meet employees, understand the challenges they faced on the ground and listen to their feedback. This input, combined with the findings of the analysis, he said, will help rebuild IndiGo into an even stronger airline.

Reflecting on the airline’s journey, Elbers said IndiGo today stands as a family of 65,000 colleagues and has carried more than 850 million customers over 19 years of operations — a legacy he described as a source of pride and renewed determination for the road ahead.

With IANS inputs