Pieter Elbers resigns as IndiGo CEO; Rahul Bhatia to assume interim management

InterGlobe Aviation, operator of Indigo, on Tuesday said Pieter Elbers has resigned as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the company, effective March 10, 2026. The company added that Rahul Bhatia will assume interim management of the airline following Elbers’ departure.

"We wish to inform you that the Board of Directors of the Company, at its meeting held today, i.e., March 10, 2026, inter-alia, took note of the resignation tendered by Mr. Pieter Elbers, Chief Executive Officer. He will be relieved from the service of the Company effective close of business hours on March 10, 2026. Mr. Rahul Bhatia, Managing Director, shall in the interim assume management of the affairs of the Company," InterGlobe Aviation said in an exchange filing.

In an organisational announcement, the airline said the Board of Directors has taken note of Elbers’ resignation and thanked him for his contribution and service to the company.

The leadership change comes at a time when the airline industry is also awaiting the findings of a report on the operational disruption at IndiGo between December 3-5, when passengers across several airports faced delays and flight cancellations.

The report is expected to examine what led to the disruption and whether any operational changes are needed going forward. Bhatia, who founded IndiGo more than two decades ago, said the airline will continue focusing on service quality, operational reliability and stakeholder trust while serving India’s growing aviation market.

In his resignation letter addressed to Bhatia, Elbers said he was stepping down for personal reasons and requested that his notice period be waived. He also thanked the airline’s board and employees for their support during his time at the company. Elbers had taken charge as IndiGo CEO in September 2022 after spending nearly three decades with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, where he later served as President and CEO.

During his time at IndiGo, the airline continued expanding its international network and fleet.

IndiGo currently operates over 2,200 daily flights with a fleet of more than 400 aircraft, connecting 95 domestic and over 40 international destinations. The airline carried around 124 million passengers in 2025, making it one of the fastest growing carriers globally. The company has said a new CEO will be announced shortly. For now, industry observers will be watching both the leadership transition and the outcome of the report on the December operational disruption.