On Tuesday, InterGlobe Enterprises Ltd, which runs IndiGo, informed the exchanges that Elbers had resigned with immediate effect, prompting the founder and managing director, c, to step in as an interim boss.

Significantly, this is the second time Bhatia has served as an interim CEO, following his first stint in 2018.

"As per our conversation, due to personal reasons, I herewith submit my resignation from the position of CEO of IndiGo with effect from today. I would request that the notice period may be waived off," Elbers said in his resignation letter.

Elbers resigned months after a pilot-scheduling crisis forced 4,500 flight cancellations and stranded thousands last December, amid the airline's struggle to comply with newly introduced pilot duty and rest regulations.

That led to a stern warning from the country's civil aviation minister, the directorate general of civil aviation launched a probe, and cut the airline's daily flights by 10%. In the immediate weeks after the crisis in the first week of December, Elbers often spent many hours at the country's civil aviation regulator's office.

On Tuesday, Bhatia wrote to IndiGo employees, stating that the December crisis should not have happened.

"What happened last December should never have taken place...Our customers didn't deserve it, and nor did all of you, especially the frontline employees who bore most of the brunt for no fault of theirs," wrote Bhatia.

IndiGo did not respond to emails sent by Mint till the time of going to print.

Global expansion

Elbers' exit comes at a difficult time for the airline and the aviation industry. Tensions in West Asia have disrupted international routes, many of which are among IndiGo's higher-yield markets.

At the same time, rising aviation fuel prices are pushing up costs, creating what experts describe as a double squeeze on the airline even as it tries to control expenses and recruit more pilots to meet regulatory requirements. All this combined could weigh on the airline's profitability.

"The timing of Pieter Elbers' departure is significant because it comes soon after the operational disruptions seen in December. While the airline had begun stabilising operations, the leadership change raises questions about continuity at a time when the airline is dealing with multiple external pressures," said Gagan Dixit, senior vice-president oil and gas and aviation at Elara Securities.

One of Elbers' biggest contributions was accelerating IndiGo's international expansion. Under his leadership, international capacity grew to roughly 30% of the airline's total capacity, marking a major shift for a carrier that was once largely domestic, according to Dixit.

"With co-founder Rahul Bhatia stepping in to oversee the airline temporarily, the key question now is who the next CEO will be and whether that person can continue the international expansion strategy that was underway," the Elara analyst said.

Elbers took over the helm as chief executive in September 2022, succeeding Ronojoy Dutta, who had led the airline through the pandemic but also left behind strategic and operational challenges. Before joining IndiGo, Elbers spent decades at KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, where he built a reputation for expanding international networks, and his appointment was widely seen as a push to strengthen IndiGo's global ambitions.

Strength on domestic routes

During his tenure, the airline expanded rapidly. IndiGo's fleet grew from 304 aircraft in FY23 to 440 by December 2025. Its network also widened from 78 domestic and 26 international destinations to 96 domestic and 44 international destinations over the same period. IndiGo has also seen its revenue from operations rising from ₹12,498 crore in the September 2022 quarter to ₹23,472 crore in the December quarter of FY26.

The carrier has also tightened its grip on the domestic market. IndiGo's market share has risen from around 58% when Elbers joined to 63.6% in January, according to DGCA data, even though the airline briefly saw its share slip to about 59% in December following a severe operational disruption.

Pieter Elbers was among the highest-paid airline CEOs in India, earning a salary of ₹42.9 crore in FY25, according to company disclosures.

Bhatia had served as interim CEO for about 8 months in 2018, following Aditya Ghosh's stepping down, before the airline appointed Ronojoy Dutta in January 2019. Dutta later exited in September 2022, when former KLM Royal Dutch Airlines chief Pieter Elbers took over the role. IndiGo was founded in 2006 by Bhatia and Rakesh Gangwal, with Bruce Ashby serving as the airline's first chief executive until 2008, followed by Ghosh, who steered the carrier for a decade and oversaw its 2015 stock market listing.

"Elbers brought significant international experience, which helped IndiGo build credibility with overseas airports and airline partners. That experience was particularly valuable as the airline started preparing for wide-body operations and deeper global partnerships," said Elara's Dixit.