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IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers has assured employees and stakeholders that the airline has emerged from a difficult operational phase, saying the worst of the recent disruption is now behind the company and stability has largely been restored across its network.

In a video message addressed to IndiGo employees, Elbers said the past two weeks had been 'very challenging' but praised the airline’s workforce for standing united through the crisis. He thanked pilots, cabin crew, airport staff, the Operations Control Centre, customer service teams and employees across all functions for their dedication and support.

“Through the storm, we are finding our wings again,” Elbers said, adding that the airline’s collective effort was key to navigating the disruption.

Elbers noted that IndiGo’s operations stabilised from December 9, following which the airline has restored its network to around 2,200 flights a day. Given the airline’s scale and complexity, he said the swift recovery was a testament to strong teamwork and well-established operating principles.

Looking ahead, the IndiGo CEO outlined three priorities for the airline: Resilience, Root Cause Analysis (RCA), and Rebuilding.

On resilience, Elbers said the airline has entered the bad weather and IROPS (irregular operations) season, traditionally a challenging period. The focus, he said, will be on strengthening operations, maintaining stability and minimising the impact of external factors on both flights and customers.

Addressing the cause of the disruption, Elbers said the situation appeared to be the result of a compounding effect of multiple factors, rather than a single issue. He urged employees to avoid speculation and remain focused on their professional responsibilities.

To ensure a comprehensive review, he said the airline’s board has appointed an external aviation expert to conduct a detailed Root Cause Analysis. Lessons from similar disruptions faced by large global airlines, he added, will also be studied to further strengthen IndiGo’s systems.

As part of the rebuilding phase, Elbers said the leadership team, including himself, will travel across IndiGo’s network to meet employees, understand the challenges they faced during the disruption, and seek their feedback. He said insights from employees, combined with the findings of the Root Cause Analysis, will help the airline emerge stronger.

Elbers emphasised that the disruption between December 3 and December 5, 2025, should not define IndiGo’s nearly two-decade-long journey. Founded in 2006 with a single aircraft, the airline has grown steadily to become India’s largest carrier, he added.

Today, IndiGo employs around 65,000 people and has carried over 850 million passengers. Over the past 19 years, the airline has connected remote regions of India to major domestic and international destinations, while maintaining an unblemished safety record.

Reaffirming the airline’s core values, Elbers said IndiGo will continue to serve the country with the same focus on reliability, accessibility, discipline and customer-centricity that built the airline.

“From here on, it’s onwards and upwards,” he said.

Shares of InterGlobe Aviation Ltd (IndiGo) rose over 3 per cent after the CEO announcement on Thursday's trading session. As of 1:20 pm, the stock was trading at Rs 5,128.55, up by 2.99 per cent from the previous close of Rs 4,979.85.