‘Back On Its Feet’: IndiGo CEO Says Flight Ops Have Stabilised After Nationwide Disruptions

IndiGo chief executive Pieter Elbers on Tuesday asserted that the airline’s operations have “stabilised” after days of unprecedented nationwide disruptions that left passengers stranded across major airports.

In a video message, Elbers said the airline had regained operational stability and confirmed that an internal review is underway to examine the factors that triggered the widespread disruptions.

“IndiGo is back on its feet, and our operations are stable. Lakhs of customers have received full refunds, and we continue to process them daily. Most of the bags stuck at airports have been delivered to homes. We are addressing every customer need,” he said.

#WATCH | IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers says,” IndiGo is back on its feet, and our operations are stable…Lakhs of customers have received their full refunds, and we continue to do so on a daily basis. Most of the bags stuck at airports have been delivered to your homes…We also… pic.twitter.com/zhezNROtoh

— ANI (@ANI) December 9, 2025

Elbers added that IndiGo had restored services across its full network.

“As of yesterday, we are back to flying to all 138 destinations. We continue to work in full cooperation with the government. Internally, we’ve begun reviewing what led to this disruption, the lessons to be learned, and how to emerge stronger,” he noted.

The remarks come after a severe wave of cancellations that continued to rattle air travel through Tuesday, triggering widespread delays and passenger complaints.

More than 400 IndiGo flights were cancelled nationwide, according to airport authorities, reported news agency ANI.

Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport saw the sharpest impact, reporting 152 cancellations, split evenly between arrivals and departures.

The ripple effect stretched across the south as well: Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport recorded 121 cancellations, while Chennai reported 41 and Hyderabad logged 58.

Other major hubs, including Mumbai (31 cancellations), Ahmedabad (16), and Patna (9), also reported significant disruption. Thiruvananthapuram saw minimal impact, with only four flights cancelled.

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu told Parliament that flight operations across the country were “stabilising fast,” adding that airports had reported no crowding or distress. He reiterated that safety remains “non-negotiable.”

Naidu pointed out that IndiGo had managed to operate 1,800 flights on Tuesday, a steep rise from the 706 flights recorded on December 5, indicating improvement in operations.

Earlier in the day, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) directed IndiGo to cut its flight operations by 5 per cent across sectors.

The regulator cited the airline’s inability to efficiently operate its approved winter schedule and the mounting backlog of cancellations. IndiGo has been instructed to submit a revised flight schedule by 5 pm on December 10, 2025.

According to the DGCA’s notice, IndiGo had clearance for 15,014 weekly departures under the Winter 2025 schedule, totalling 64,346 flights in November.

However, operational data showed only 59,438 flights were actually flown, with 951 cancellations recorded through the month.

Despite the regulatory pressure and the scale of disruption, IndiGo says it is now focused on recovery and long-term resilience.