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New Delhi: IndiGo Airlines CEO Pieter Elbers on Friday issued a public apology after the airline witnessed its worst-ever operational disruption, with over 1,000 flights—more than half of its daily operations—cancelled on December 5.
Acknowledging the unprecedented scale of the crisis, Elbers said cancellations were necessary to realign aircraft and crew positions and gradually restore normal operations.“December 5 has been the most severely impacted day with the number of cancellations well over 1,000, or more than half of our daily flights. On behalf of all of us at IndiGo, I sincerely apologise for the major inconvenience caused to our customers,” he said.
‘System Reboot’ Triggered Record Cancellations
Explaining the situation, the CEO stated that multiple factors contributed to the disruptions. Still, the airline decided on a complete operational reset or ‘reboot’ of systems and flight schedules after earlier corrective measures failed to stabilise operations. “Regrettably, the measures taken over the past few days were not enough. We therefore decided today for a full reboot of all our systems and schedules, resulting in the highest number of cancellations so far. Still, it is necessary for progressive improvement,” Elbers said.
He added that with the reboot in place, Saturday’s cancellations are expected to stay below 1,000 flights, with gradual improvement thereafter.
Three-Step Recovery Plan
Outlining IndiGo’s immediate response strategy, Elbers said the airline has taken three significant corrective steps:
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Customer Communication & Support:
Detailed communication regarding cancellations, refunds and support measures has been sent to passengers. The airline has also significantly increased call centre capacity. -
Handling Stranded Passengers:
Priority was given to passengers stranded at major airports to ensure they could travel on December 5 itself. Passengers whose flights were cancelled were advised not to visit airports after receiving cancellation alerts. -
Crew and Aircraft Realignment:
Large-scale cancellations were undertaken to ensure that crews and aircraft are properly repositioned to restart operations smoothly.
Complete Normalcy Expected by Mid-December
Elbers said that, with the support of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), including relaxations to Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL), the airline expects steady improvement in daily operations. “Given the size, scale and complexity of our operations, it will take some time to return to full normalcy, which we anticipate between December 10 and December 15,” he said.
‘Trust Has Been Shaken,’ Says CEO
Expressing concern over the impact on passenger confidence, Elbers admitted that the disruptions have shaken customer trust built over 19 years. “I understand that these disruptions have caused significant discomfort and have shaken belief in IndiGo’s reliability. Our frontline teams have been working relentlessly to resolve the situation. We are doing everything within our control to not only restore but strengthen that trust,” he said. The airline said it will continue issuing regular updates to passengers as operations stabilise.
