IndiGo, India’s largest airline, faces severe disruption following the implementation of new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms. The rules, which mandate longer rest periods for pilots and restrict night operations, led to hundreds of daily flight cancellations across major cities.
The airline struggled to adapt, leaving passengers frustrated. Temporary relief from regulators has eased night-operation limits, but IndiGo continues to work on restoring full schedules. The crisis has put both the airline and its leadership in the spotlight, highlighting challenges in managing large-scale operations amid regulatory changes.
Rahul Bhatia: The Low-Profile Billionaire Behind IndiGo
Rahul Bhatia, co-founder and Managing Director of InterGlobe Enterprises, leads IndiGo quietly but decisively. Despite heading India’s largest airline, Bhatia maintains a low public profile. He launched IndiGo in 2006 with Rakesh Gangwal, building it into a dominant carrier with a 65% domestic market share as of January 2025.
The airline now serves over 137 destinations and operates more than 2,700 daily flights. After differences with Gangwal, who stepped down in 2022, Bhatia took full control of the airline, shaping its strategic direction and navigating it through unprecedented operational challenges.
Early Life and Career of Rahul Bhatia
Rahul Bhatia studied electrical engineering at the University of Waterloo in Canada. He grew up in a travel-oriented family; his father, Kapil Bhatia, ran the Delhi Express travel agency. Bhatia initially ventured into telecom but faced regulatory hurdles that led him to shift focus to aviation and hospitality.
Under InterGlobe Enterprises, he expanded into airlines, hotels, and logistics. InterGlobe Hotels runs 21 properties in India in partnership with Accor, and 13 overseas, including the Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel. He also manages a logistics venture, Movin, in partnership with UPS, demonstrating his diversified business acumen.
Rahul Bhatia’s Net Worth
As of Friday, December 5, 2025, Forbes reports that Rahul Bhatia’s net worth stands at $8.1 billion, placing him 420th on the global billionaires list. The ongoing IndiGo flight cancellation crisis has impacted his wealth, causing a decline of 1.02%, equivalent to $84 million.
Rahul Bhatia co-founded IndiGo alongside Rakesh Gangwal. Following a major public disagreement in 2019, Gangwal resigned from the board in 2022 and has gradually been selling his shares in the airline. According to BSE data, Gangwal currently holds a 4.53% stake in InterGlobe Aviation, amounting to 1,75,30,493 shares.
IndiGo Faces Flight Duty Time Limitations Crisis
The new FDTL norms disrupted IndiGo’s flight schedules heavily, grounding hundreds of flights across India. Pilots now require longer rest periods, reducing available night operations. On December 5 alone, Delhi witnessed over 220 flight cancellations. Similar disruptions occurred in other major cities, creating chaos for passengers.
IndiGo was caught off guard despite prior notice of the rules, highlighting operational vulnerabilities. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) offered temporary relief by easing night-flight restrictions, but full recovery will take time. Passengers and stakeholders now watch closely as the airline restores its services.
How Rahul Bhatia Is Steering IndiGo
Rahul Bhatia has taken charge during this operational crisis, making strategic decisions to minimize flight disruptions and restore customer confidence. He coordinates with airline teams, regulatory authorities, and airport operators to ensure smoother operations.
Under his leadership, IndiGo has revised flight schedules and implemented operational changes to comply with FDTL norms while reducing passenger inconvenience. The airline’s top management, guided by Bhatia, is actively working on long-term solutions, including crew training, schedule optimization, and operational planning, to prevent similar crises in the future.
IndiGo’s Recovery Plan
IndiGo plans to gradually resume normal operations over the coming weeks. Temporary regulatory relief has allowed the airline to operate more night flights and adjust crew schedules. Management aims to restore punctuality and reduce cancellations while keeping passenger safety a priority.
Bhatia’s leadership ensures that these measures are implemented efficiently. Long-term strategies include increasing pilot hiring, training, and fleet management improvements to stabilize operations. While recovery is underway, IndiGo continues to face challenges due to accumulated backlogs, highlighting the complexity of managing India’s busiest airline during regulatory shifts.
Looking Ahead for IndiGo and Rahul Bhatia
The current crisis represents one of the biggest challenges in IndiGo’s history. Rahul Bhatia’s decisions over the coming months will shape the airline’s reputation and operational stability. Stakeholders, including passengers, investors, and regulators, closely monitor his response.
The airline’s recovery will demonstrate Bhatia’s ability to lead during turbulence, reaffirming his status as a visionary entrepreneur in Indian aviation. IndiGo’s journey under his guidance shows resilience, strategic foresight, and the importance of adaptive leadership in the face of regulatory and operational challenges.
Sonu Sood, Vir Das And Others Stand Vocal Against The Crisis
Actor Sonu Sood posted a video on social media, “A delayed flight is frustrating, but remember the faces trying to fix it.”
“A delayed flight is frustrating, but remember the faces trying to fix it. Please be nice and humble to the IndiGo staff; they are carrying the weight of cancellations too. Let’s support them.” @IndiGo6E pic.twitter.com/rd3ciyekcS
— sonu sood (@SonuSood) December 6, 2025
Vir Das also posted on X : “The decent thing to do? The entire senior management of Indigo should be made to take shifts at the airport and stand there. From CEOs to VPs and such. The decision makers. Instead of the terrified junior employees with no power, cabin crew, and ground staff, who have been left to deal with the yelling and screaming.”
Comedian Abijit calls it “intentional”. “Anyone with basic brains can figure out what Indigo did was very intentional. “
Anyone with basic brains can figure out what Indigo did was very intentional. This was not sudden disruption, this was almost a planned strike to strongarm the government into giving it what it wants. What people went through doesn’t matter to them, it’s just collateral damage.… pic.twitter.com/QPa3LY5HzK
— Abijit Ganguly (@AbijitG) December 5, 2025
IndiGo (#IndigoAirlines) Widespread Disruptions (#IndigoDelay) continue for fourth consecutive day
As of now 69 flights cancelled on 6th December at #RGIA #Hyderabad (#HyderabadAirport)
Arrivals: 26
Departures: 43Yesterday different #Airports of our Country turns worse than… pic.twitter.com/N34tg6knDB
— Surya Reddy (@jsuryareddy) December 6, 2025
Passengers under immense suffering:
We are sorry 🙏 pic.twitter.com/8DmY2rJrjR
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) December 5, 2025
Swastika Sruti is a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX Digital with 5 years of experience shaping stories that matter. She loves tracking politics- national and global trends, and never misses a chance to dig deeper into policies and developments. Passionate about what’s happening around us, she brings sharp insight and clarity to every piece she works on. When not curating news, she’s busy exploring what’s next in the world of public interest. You can reach her at [swastika.newsx@gmail.com]
