Insights from the Skift India Forum

Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo, shared his vision for the future of low-cost airlines during his speech at the Skift India Forum. Elbers stated that IndiGo focuses on a triple strategy: maintaining punctuality, offering affordable fares, and providing a seamless customer experience.

“India is a cost-competitive, price-sensitive, and consumer value-conscious market. Maintaining cost leadership is important for us. Every step we take is keeping that in mind, because if we don’t, we would be out of business.”

Elbers emphasized that the airline needs to adapt to the evolving market conditions. He highlighted the difference between IndiGo and traditional European low-cost carriers, citing different operational methods and market approaches.

Expansion Plans

Recently, IndiGo announced their plans to expand to long-haul destinations, with Amsterdam and Manchester as their first international routes starting this July.

“International air travel in India was catered to by non-Indian airlines for a long time. The further away you go from India, the lower is the market share of Indian carriers.”

Elbers expressed confidence in the growth potential for Indian aviation, citing a significant disparity in operational scale compared to China. He remarked, “That number just shows that the growth will continue. The Indian economy is on a trajectory of growth. What is currently happening in India happened in China 15-20 years ago.”

IndiGo’s aim is to ensure they maintain their competitive pricing while enhancing services such as introducing business class and loyalty programs, targeting both budget-conscious travelers and the aspirational market.