'Worst is behind us': IndiGo CEO urges staff to avoid speculation as flights stabilise

IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers has told employees the airline has stabilized its operations following recent disruptions, stating that the "worst is behind us." Elbers has asked staff to avoid speculation and remain focused on their professional duties.

In a video message, Elbers said IndiGo has restored most of its flight network after the disruption. He noted the airline had restored a network of 2,200 flights. He said the airline's priorities now are resilience, root cause analysis, and rebuilding.

Elbers acknowledged the past two weeks had been difficult for the airline and its workforce. He thanked pilots, cabin crew, airport staff, operations, control, and customer service teams for their dedication.

Regarding the recovery, Elbers said that the airline restored its network to 2,200 flights after stabilizing operations on December 9. He added that recovering from such a situation in a short time is a testament to teamwork and the strength of operating principles, given the airline's scale and complexity.

Elbers said the airline will now concentrate on three priorities: resilience, root cause analysis, and rebuilding. He noted that the winter season brings increased operational challenges and the focus is to solidify operations and minimize the impact of external factors on operations and customers.

Addressing the causes of the disruption, Elbers advised against speculation, saying that what was witnessed seemed a compounding effect of several factors. He encouraged everyone to stay calm, focus on their professional responsibilities, and avoid engaging in speculation, emphasizing the need for a full-scale analysis. He added that an external aviation expert has been appointed by the board to conduct a comprehensive root cause analysis and that lessons from disruptions faced by other large airlines globally would also be studied. He also noted that the leadership team, including himself, would travel across the network to engage with employees and understand the challenges they faced during the disruption.

IndiGo experienced widespread flight cancellations and delays between December 3 and 5 due to operational and system-related issues, impacting passengers across multiple airports. During this period, the airline issued public advisories and apologies as it worked to stabilize schedules and clear backlogs.

Elbers stated that the disruptions should not define IndiGo's 19-year journey.