New Delhi: IndiGo chief executive officer Pieter Elbers on Wednesday said that a brief period of operational disruption should not overshadow the airline’s two decades of service, while acknowledging that passengers were significantly affected during the incident. Addressing the issue publicly for the first time in India after the disruption, Elbers admitted that the airline fell short of customer expectations over a three day period in early December.
The country’s largest airline experienced widespread operational challenges between December 3 and December 5, resulting in large scale flight cancellations and delays across multiple airports. During this period, more than 2,500 flights were cancelled and close to 1,900 flights were delayed, affecting over three lakh passengers nationwide. The disruptions triggered widespread inconvenience and raised concerns over operational preparedness during the peak winter travel season.
Following the incident, aviation authorities imposed corrective measures, including a ten per cent reduction in IndiGo’s winter schedule until February 10. The regulator also levied financial penalties amounting to over Rs 22 crore and issued warnings to the airline’s senior leadership. In addition, IndiGo was directed to submit a bank guarantee of Rs 50 crore to ensure the implementation of long term systemic improvements.
Elbers stated that the airline fully recognises the reputational damage caused during those days and accepts responsibility for the inconvenience faced by travellers. He emphasised that while the disruptions were serious, they represented a short lapse in an otherwise long operational history since IndiGo began services in 2006. According to him, the episode would serve as a turning point for the airline to strengthen internal systems and resilience.
The CEO also reiterated IndiGo’s commitment to learning from the crisis and restoring passenger confidence through operational stability and improved reliability. He underlined that the airline views accountability and corrective action as essential to sustaining long term growth.
IndiGo continues to hold the largest share of India’s domestic aviation market and operates one of the most extensive route networks in the country. The airline has stated that it is focused on ensuring consistent performance as travel demand remains strong and the sector continues to expand.
