IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers Resigns; Rahul Bhatia Takes Interim Charge After Airline’s Operational Crisis

India’s largest airline, IndiGo, announced on Tuesday that its Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers has stepped down from his position with immediate effect. The airline’s Managing Director Rahul Bhatia will temporarily oversee the company’s operations until a new CEO is appointed.

In a regulatory filing, InterGlobe Aviation Ltd, the parent company of IndiGo, said its board acknowledged Elbers’ resignation during a meeting held on March 10, 2026. The airline confirmed that he will be relieved from his responsibilities at the close of business on the same day.

Leadership change after operational turmoil

The leadership change comes just months after IndiGo faced its largest operational disruption in December, when a system outage triggered a massive wave of flight cancellations. During the crisis, the airline reportedly cancelled around 4,500 flights in the first few weeks of the month.

The incident drew criticism from passengers and increased scrutiny from aviation regulators and the government, especially as India’s aviation sector continues to expand rapidly.

IndiGo later issued a public apology, explaining that the disruption occurred due to delays in updating crew rostering systems, which were required to comply with stricter pilot fatigue regulations introduced by the government.

Rahul Bhatia to lead operations temporarily

Following Elbers’ departure, the airline said Rahul Bhatia, the company’s Managing Director and co-founder, will take charge of the airline’s affairs on an interim basis while the company evaluates long-term leadership options.

Resignation citing personal reasons

In his resignation letter dated March 10, Elbers cited personal reasons for stepping down and requested the board to waive his notice period.

“As per our conversation, due to personal reasons, I hereby submit my resignation from the position of CEO of IndiGo with effect from today. I request that my notice period may be waived,” Elbers wrote in the letter.

Reflecting on his tenure

Elbers, who joined IndiGo as CEO in September 2022, said it had been a privilege to lead the airline and be part of its growth journey.

“It has been both an honour and a privilege to serve as IndiGo’s CEO over the past years and to be part of the remarkable growth story of this airline,” he said.

He also expressed gratitude to the airline’s board and leadership team for their support and said he would remain available to assist with any transition process if required.

IndiGo remains the largest airline in India by market share, operating hundreds of domestic and international flights daily and playing a key role in the country’s rapidly growing aviation sector.