Pieter Elbers steps down as IndiGo CEO months after airline’s operational crisis

The chief executive officer of India’s largest airline, IndiGo , has stepped down, marking a major leadership change months after it faced a severe operational crisis that disrupted flights across the country.

Pieter Elbers resigned from his position with immediate effect, the airline said on Tuesday. The development comes at a time when the airline has been working to stabilise operations and restore passenger confidence following widespread flight disruptions late last year.

The board of InterGlobe Aviation has accepted the resignation and initiated the process of identifying a successor.

Why did the IndiGo CEO resign?

While the airline did not disclose detailed reasons for the departure, Elbers’ exit comes months after IndiGo faced one of the most disruptive periods in its recent history.

IndiGo was hit by an operational crisis late last year, when thousands of flights were delayed or cancelled across several airports due to issues linked to pilot scheduling and new duty-time regulations.

The disruptions triggered regulatory scrutiny and sparked criticism from passengers as airports saw long queues and stranded travellers. The airline later said it had taken corrective measures to stabilise its schedule and improve internal processes.

Who will lead the IndiGo now?

Following the resignation, Rahul Bhatia, the group managing director of InterGlobe Enterprises, will take interim charge of the airline until a new chief executive is appointed.

The company said the board will soon begin the process of selecting a permanent successor to lead the airline through its next phase of expansion.

IndiGo is the largest airline in India by market share and operates a vast domestic and international network.

The carrier runs thousands of flights every week and commands a dominant share of India’s domestic passenger traffic, making any leadership change at the airline closely watched by investors, regulators and the aviation industry.

With the CEO stepping down, the board will now focus on identifying a new leader to steer the airline’s growth strategy. Investors will be closely monitoring as IndiGo continues expanding its network and fleet while navigating operational challenges in one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets.

The shares of IndiGo ended 3.46% higher at ₹4,383.50 apiece on the National Stock Exchange on Tuesday. The company's stock price has slipped nearly 5% in the past year, underperforming the benchmark Nifty 50 index that has risen over 8% during the same period.