IndiGo’s woes: Disruptions ongoing for India’s leading low-cost carrier as operational issues continue and CEO steps down
March 12, 2026
IndiGo continues to navigate headwinds as its CEO steps down amid ongoing operational disruptions following the restart of flights to destinations across the Middle East.
India’s leading low-cost carrier (LCC) IndiGo, which controls roughly 65% of the country’s domestic market, recently resumed flights to several destinations in the Middle East following regional disruptions and airspace closures triggered by escalating tensions involving Iran, Israel and the US.
However, a series of incidents involving long-haul flights this week have reiterated the operational pressures facing the rapidly expanding carrier, which previously experienced severe disruptions at the end of December, 2025.
IndiGo faces operational disruptions as Middle Eastern airspace reopens
On 9 March, IndiGo confirmed it had operated more than 165 flights carrying over 22,000 customers to and from the Middle East over the previous five days. The LCC also said it was progressively rebuilding its network schedule across the Middle East and Europe, reinstating long-haul services using its Boeing B787-9 Dreamliner aircraft leased from Norse Atlantic Airways. These aircraft are being used to connect India with Manchester, Amsterdam and London.
On the same day, the airline confirmed it was operating 38 flights between India and 12 destinations across the Middle East and Europe.
However, operational challenges soon emerged. According to flight-tracking service Flightradar24, the first flight from Delhi to Manchester was forced to turn back near the border between Ethiopia and Eritrea and return to base due to apparent confusion over overflight permits for the leased aircraft.
IndiGo flight 6E33 (operated by Norse) made a U-turn on the border between Ethiopia and Eritrea and is returning to Delhi.
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) March 9, 2026
This was the first IndiGo Delhi – Manchester flight since the 26th of Feb. pic.twitter.com/McCeAUd2tS
On a separate flight, around 300 passengers flying from London Heathrow to Mumbai were forced to disembark the aircraft after it was diverted to Cairo on Sunday, also due to approval issues while entering Eritrean airspace, according to a report by Khaleej Times.
IndiGo CEO resigns with immediate effect
The airline’s difficulties coincided with Pieter Elbers confirming his resignation with immediate effect on Tuesday, 9 March.
An aviation industry veteran, Elbers previously spent 30 years with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, including 12 years as its chief executive, before taking the helm at IndiGo in 2022. The reasons for his abrupt departure were cited as “personal.” IndiGo co-founder Rahul Bhatia will oversee the airline in the interim until a new CEO is appointed.
“Having founded and nurtured IndiGo for 22 years, I feel a deep sense of personal commitment and responsibility towards our nation,” Bhatia said. He also thanked Elbers for his contribution and service to the organisation, as he “wished him well in his future endeavours.”
IndiGo’s operational meltdown at the end of last year
Earlier this year, the airline was fined 222 million Indian rupees ($2.45 million) by India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for poor pilot roster planning that led to widespread flight cancellations in December.
IndiGo publicly admitted that “misjudgment and planning gaps” in implementing a new pilot rest policy were to blame for the disruption. In an internal message at the time, Elbers told staff: “We have faced tough moments before, but we turned challenges into triumphs, proving our resilience, strength and unity. This moment will be no different.”
"Our immediate goal is to normalise ops, bring punctuality back on track in coming days, which is not an easy task… time for all of us to come together & prove our mettle once again:" @IndiGo6E CEO Pieter Elbers in internal mail to employees pic.twitter.com/Ok9PEfkXfd
— Saurabh Sinha (@27saurabhsinha) December 4, 2025
The disruption occurred despite the airline having nearly two years to prepare for the new rules, which were introduced to provide pilots with more rest periods between flights to enhance passenger safety.
Warnings issued as numerous deficiencies unearthed
The DGCA also issued warnings to Elbers alongside other senior officials, including the company’s Chief Operating Officer, stating “inadequate overall oversight of flight operations and crisis management.” The airline’s senior vice president of operations and control centre at the time was subsequently relieved of his responsibilities.
The DGCA’s probe found “numerous deficiencies” in IndiGo’s operations and planning processes, including a failure to identify planning gaps or maintain adequate operational buffers properly.
During the first week of December, the airline experienced one of the most significant operational crises in its 20-year history with widespread flight cancellations and delays, leaving hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded across its network. Some days saw more than 1,000 flights being cancelled.
Reinstating service excellence and stakeholder trust
Following Elbers’ resignation, Bhatia said the airline would continue to prioritise “service excellence and stakeholder trust”. He also underlined that IndiGo will “continue to sharpen its strategic focus on serving India and her people with an airline that is professionally managed, operationally reliable and globally respected.”
Despite its recent challenges, IndiGo remains a dominant force in India’s aviation market and continues to pursue plans to strengthen its long-haul network and international partnerships. While a new CEO has yet to be appointed, it is widely speculated the airline will appoint homegrown talent to lead it through its next chapter.
Chairman of the board, Vikram Singh Mehta concluded that the airline will continue to “deepen its commitment to delivering exceptional care, reliability and professionalism to its customers.”
As for Elbers, he certainly made his mark on IndiGo in the three short years he served as CEO. An experienced and well-respected aviation leader, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him re-emerge at another airline or at least within the industry soon.
Featured image: IndiGo
