HYDERABAD: IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers on Thursday said that the airline industry witnessed what is probably the worst fog in years, impacting flight operations.
Speaking in Hyderabad, Elbers said that he expects the situation to return to normal within a week, provided there was no more fog. “In course of the next week, I do expect that our entire operations should be back to normal,” he said.
Asked about the inconvenience caused to passengers, he appreciated the airline staff for going beyond their normal call of duty.
The IndiGo CEO referred to a recent incident of a passenger assaulting a pilot announcing a delay in takeoff at Delhi Airport as “unacceptable”. However, he refused to comment further on the issue as it is sub-judice.
As per Elbers, IndiGo operates around 400 domestic routes but the number is still very low, going by the size of the country. The airline also announced daily direct flights between Hyderabad and Bangkok from February 26.
Meanwhile, GMR Group and IndiGo Airlines announced a strategic collaboration forming a digital consortium aimed at reshaping the landscape of the Indian aviation industry.
The focus areas of the consortium will be deploying cutting-edge technologies to enhance operational efficiency, passenger experiences and overall industry sustainability. The initiative strives to collaborate with multiple stakeholders to drive the major objectives of driving technological innovation, enhancing passenger services, achieving operational excellence, and embracing sustainable practices in order to minimise the impact on the environment.
Rajesh Kumar Singh, special director in the CEO’s office, IndiGo said, “An aviation ecosystem, orchestrated in real-time using digital innovations, with the customer at its heart, has the potential to provide breakthrough experiences unparalleled anywhere else in the world”.