IndiGo on Monday appointed Aloke Singh as chief strategy officer, nearly two weeks after CEO Pieter Elbers stepped down. He will lead long-term strategy and enterprise-wide transformation initiatives, the airline said in a statement, and will report to Managing Director Rahul Bhatia until a new CEO is appointed.
Singh has over three decades of experience in the aviation sector, overlooking strategy, operations and commercial functions. He was most recently managing director and CEO of Air India Express, after holding senior roles at Air India and Oman Air.
The leadership change follows IndiGo’s worst operational disruption in December 2025. Between December 3 and 5, the airline cancelled 2,507 flights and delayed 1,852 flights, affecting more than 3 lakh passengers. The disruption was linked to new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules for pilots. Subsequently, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) cut IndiGo’s winter schedule by 10 percent until February 10, and imposed penalties of more than Rs 22 crore.
The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), which represents IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet, has raised concerns over the new requirements, saying the order amounts to regulatory overreach into commercial functions, particularly ancillary revenue streams such as paid seat selection. It said preferential seating has long been treated as an optional service and warned that restrictions could affect pricing structures.
Indian airlines have already raised fares and introduced fuel surcharges following a rise in jet fuel prices linked to the West Asia crisis. Fuel surcharges across domestic and international routes range from about Rs 199 to Rs 2,300 per sector, depending on distance and route. For long-haul international routes such as Europe, surcharges have gone up to around $125.
The ongoing conflict in West Asia has led to widespread disruption of flight operations since February 28, when the United States and Israel carried out strikes on Iran. The conflict triggered airspace closures across parts of the region, including Iran, Iraq and the Gulf, forcing airlines to cancel flights and suspend services in the initial days.
IndiGo, along with other airlines including Air India, SpiceJet and Akasa Air, has been issuing regular updates on flight schedules and routes as conditions continue to evolve.
First Published: Mar 24, 2026, 11:03
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