Rahul Bhatia is back to lead the day-to-day operations of the airline he co-founded nearly two decades ago, amid turmoil that “should never have happened”.
“I step into my expanded role of managing IndiGo’s affairs with a deep sense of responsibility not only to the company’s customers and its shareholders, but to each and every employee who operates this airline,” Bhatia wrote in an internal note to IndiGo employees after taking over as interim CEO of InterGlobe Aviation Ltd following the resignation of Peter Albers.
He added, “What happened last December should never have happened… Our customers didn’t deserve this and neither did all of you, especially frontline workers who bore the brunt for much of it through no fault of their own.”
“I would like to express my gratitude to all my colleagues who carried the company forward with decency and dignity and spent sleepless nights to restore the operational integrity of IndiGo. You are truly the living soul of IndiGo!”
Hindustan Times has seen a copy of this internal note.
Resignation of Indigo CEO
Albers, who will take charge of IndiGo in September 2022, has resigned from the post of CEO of the company with immediate effect. Under him, India’s largest airline became a $10 billion enterprise, expanded its fleet to more than 440 aircraft, and placed a historic order for 500 Airbus A320-family aircraft.
Until, it all came crashing down.
Despite his successes, Albers’ tenure was marred by an operational meltdown in December 2025. The flight crisis was triggered by IndiGo’s struggle to implement new rules designed to prevent pilot fatigue.
Between December 3 and 5, IndiGo canceled over 2,500 flights and delayed around 1,900 flights, affecting over 300,000 passengers.
DGCA imposed record fine ₹22.20 crore and issued a show cause notice directly to Albers. Although he initially avoided calls for his resignation, the crisis significantly damaged the airline’s reputation for punctuality.
Bhatia promised to fix the glitch.
Rahul Bhatia returns to Indigo
In the internal letter, Bhatia sought support from IndiGo employees to “ensure that we regain the right of choice with our customers and earn the distinction of being the pride of India”.
“Let us remain focused and accountable, fully united and committed to this cause, and keep doing what we do best – offering affordable fares and a courteous and hassle-free travel experience to our customers.
“I look forward to working with all of you and take this opportunity to wish you and your respective families all the best,” he said in his sign-off with “Main Hoon Na.”
IndiGo shares rose 3.46% on Tuesday ₹4,382.45 per share on the BSE, while the benchmark Sensex ended the day 0.82% higher at 78,205.98 points.
