'Worst is Behind Us': IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers Assures As Airline Restores 2,200 Flights

New Delhi: IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers on Thursday issued an internal message to employees, asserting that “the worst is behind us” as the airline has stabilised operations and restored its network to 2,200 flights following a challenging period of disruptions.

In his message to staff, Elbers acknowledged employees across departments for standing together through recent operational difficulties.

“Dear IndiGo colleagues, through the storm, we are finding our wings again. The worst is behind us. These last two weeks have been very challenging for all of us,” he said.

Referring to corrective steps taken since December 9, Elbers said the airline had moved swiftly to stabilise operations and rebuild capacity.

“After that, we restored our network to 2200 flights today. 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,” he added.

He further outlined three key focus areas for the airline: resilience, root cause analysis and rebuilding. On resilience, he noted the onset of the IROP season and said the emphasis would be on maintaining stable operations and reducing the impact of external factors on passengers.

Addressing the root cause analysis, Elbers urged employees to avoid speculation, stating that a comprehensive review was already underway.

“What we witnessed seems a compounding effect of several factors. Everyone wants answers. Speculations are circulating, but I encourage everyone, please stay calm, focus on your professional responsibilities and avoid engaging in such speculations,” he said, adding that an external aviation expert appointed by the board would conduct a full-scale analysis.

On rebuilding, Elbers said the leadership team would travel across the network to engage directly with employees and gather feedback from the ground.

“The leadership team, including myself, will travel across the network to meet you, understand the challenges you faced during this difficult time and seek your feedback. A combination of this root cause analysis and your input will help us build Indigo even stronger and even better,” he said.

Elbers reflected on IndiGo’s 19-year journey from its inception in 2006 to becoming one of the country’s largest carriers.

“In 2006, 19 years ago, we started from one aircraft... Today, we are 65,000 proud IndiGo colleagues, and in these 19 years, over 850 million customers have chosen to fly with us,” he said.

Further concluding his message, Elbers reaffirmed the airline’s commitment to its core values.

“We continue to serve India with the same focus that built this very company. Reliability, accessibility, discipline and customer focus. Dear colleagues, thank you. Through the storm, we found our wings again. From here on, onwards and upwards,” he said.