IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers released a video message on Thursday, 18 December 2025, to announce that the airline has successfully restored its network to 2,200 daily flights.
This follows nearly two weeks of severe operational turmoil that saw thousands of cancellations across India. Elbers declared that the worst of the crisis is now behind them and thanked the pilots, cabin crew, and ground staff for their dedication.
To prevent future collapses, the board has appointed an external aviation expert to conduct a thorough root cause analysis. The airline is now shifting its focus toward building long term resilience while working to regain the trust of millions of inconvenienced travellers.
Restoring Stability
The recent Indigo crisis peaked in early December when the carrier cancelled hundreds of flights daily, at one point reaching over 1,600 cancellations in twenty four hours.
These disruptions were attributed to a compounding effect of new pilot duty regulations, crew shortages, and the onset of winter weather. The mass cancellations left passengers stranded at major airports, leading to intense public backlash and scrutiny from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
In response to the chaos, the regulator slashed the airline’s winter schedule by ten per cent. While operations have now stabilised, the incident has highlighted significant vulnerabilities in India’s largest airline during the peak travel and wedding season.
Three-Point Blueprint
In his address, Elbers outlined three strategic priorities: resilience, root cause analysis, and rebuilding. He emphasised that the airline must learn from this unique crisis to strengthen its systems against future shocks.
To ensure transparency, the leadership team will travel across the network to gather direct feedback from employees who faced the brunt of passenger frustration. Elbers urged staff to avoid speculation and remain professional while the independent expert review is underway.
By focusing on operating discipline and accountability, the management aims to restore the reputation for reliability that the company has built over nineteen years. The airline has flown over 850 million customers since its inception and maintains an unblemished safety record.
“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.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
At The Logical Indian, we believe that while operational recovery is necessary, it must be accompanied by a renewed commitment to passenger rights and employee well-being. A dominant market position comes with a profound responsibility to ensure that citizens are not left helpless at airport terminals without basic amenities.
True leadership is defined by transparency during a crisis and the courage to admit when systems fail. We appreciate the acknowledgement of the hard work put in by ground staff, but we hope this analysis leads to structural changes that prioritise human dignity over profit margins.
Read More: IndiGo Crisis Deepens: DGCA Sacks Four Inspectors, Summons CEO as Flight Chaos Continues
