IndiGo CEO Issues Public Apology, Vows Flight Operations To Stabilise by Mid-December

The leadership of IndiGo has publicly apologised to passengers for the airline’s worst-ever disruption, which saw over 1,000 flights cancelled across India on December 5. In a video message, CEO Pieter Elbers admitted that earlier mitigation efforts were insufficient and announced a full system reboot — the first step in what the airline hopes will be a swift recovery.

Elbers said Saturday’s cancellations are expected to drop below 1,000, with all operations gradually returning to normal between December 10 and 15. He expressed remorse over the turmoil passengers endured, acknowledging the severe blow to trust that IndiGo had built over nearly two decades.

The airline blamed the chaos on crew shortages and implementation challenges tied to its compliance with the new flight-duty regulations introduced by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). As a relief measure, the DGCA has temporarily eased restrictions on crew rest periods to help IndiGo stabilise its roster.

Simultaneously, the government has launched a high-level inquiry to examine lapses in crew planning and passenger handling. Meanwhile, rival carriers have capitalised on the crisis — driving airfares up sharply amid the surge in rebookings.

IndiGo assures customers of full refunds or rebooking support for cancelled or disrupted flights and is working around the clock to restore confidence.