New CEO wants IndiGo to be 'airline of choice'
New IndiGo CEO William Walsh aims to shift the airline's strategy toward earning customer trust rather than relying on its dominant market position. This follows a period of operational instability and ongoing investigations by the DGCA and the Competition Commission of India.
Why it matters
As the dominant player in India's aviation market, IndiGo's operational health and competitive practices have significant implications for consumer air travel costs and reliability.
In his maiden town hall address as IndiGo’s chief executive, William Walsh underscored the need to make the airline one that passengers actively choose, instead of one they fly because of its monopoly on many routes.
Speaking a day after taking charge following the departure of Pieter Elbers in the wake of the airline’s network-wide operational meltdown in December 2025, Mr. Walsh said, “It is important to earn the confidence of our customers every day, so that IndiGo remains the airline they choose—not just because of where we fly, but because they trust us. They know they can count on us and expect a consistently high-quality experience every time they fly with us.”
IndiGo enjoys a 66% share of the domestic aviation market and has a monopoly on nearly 30% of its routes.
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