Pieter Elbers, Chief Executive Officer of IndiGo, has been honored with the ‘Executive Leadership: Asia Pacific Award’ at the 2024 Airline Strategy Awards. The awards, organized by FlightGlobal, were held in London on July 21, 2024. Elbers was recognized for his exceptional strategic leadership at IndiGo and his significant contribution to the industry. This prestigious award is a testament to his impactful leadership.

IndiGo is amongst the fastest-growing airlines in the world. It has a simple and successful philosophy: offer fares that are affordable, flights that are on time, and provide a courteous and hassle-free travel experience across its unparalleled network of 120+ destinations. In line with the development of India on the world-stage, IndiGo aims to double in size and scale by the end of the decade. With the introduction of the XLR in 2025 and the A350 as of 2027, IndiGo is spreading its wings internationally, developing from a domestic carrier to a global aviation leader.

Speaking at the occasion, Pieter Elbers, Chief Executive Officer, IndiGo said: “I am truly honored to receive the Executive Leadership Award for Asia-Pacific at the 2024 Airline Strategy Awards in London yesterday eve. It is a testimony to the 100+ million customers annually choosing to fly IndiGo and a recognition of the strategic choices we made post Covid-19 on Network, Fleet, Customer Experience, Digital and so on. “Strategy without execution is a hallucination”, hence this award is attributed to the unwavering dedication and professionalism of my 35,000 IndiGo colleagues.”

Lewis Harper, Editor of Airline Business, said: “Judges said that in a relatively short space of time, Pieter Elbers has helped IndiGo scale newer heights in terms of its performance and market dominance in India. The jury were particularly impressed by IndiGo’s capture of market share in the past couple of years, and by the ramping up of its international presence, all underpinned by impressive financial results. Judges also cited Elbers’ vision when it comes to leading the business into new areas, such as operating its own widebody aircraft, adding business-class cabins on some domestic routes and building a presence in the cargo sector. They also highlighted his skillful navigation of challenges such as aircraft groundings relating to Pratt & Whitney engine inspections, noting that despite significant challenges, the business has continued on its growth trajectory.”

Graham Dunn, executive editor at FlightGlobal and host of the Airline Strategy Awards, said: “This year’s awards were set against the backdrop of passenger levels having surpassed 2019 highs and with the industry back to making money. But leaders are still grappling with a number of immediate challenges while also addressing longer-term sustainability issues, expectations on which continue to intensify from industry advocates and critics alike. A select group of executives and airlines are leading the way in that challenging market, and we are delighted to recognise those achievements.”