TBM Staff - Mumbai Rahul Bhatia, Co-Founder & MD, IndiGo has said the airline needs to continue expanding its domestic and “regional international footprint” besides strengthening the cargo franchise in the near term.
In an e-mail to employees on Tuesday, Bhatia, who was appointed as the Managing Director on February 4, said that he was looking forward to working closely with the management team just not only to establish and achieve near-term goals, but also to get the company to be future ready for the massive opportunity that lies ahead.
The induction of A321 XLR will extend IndiGo’s reach into markets where it has not been in a position to serve so far, he added.
During the IPO process in 2015, the promoters and the then management team had promised an Indian airline of “great significance” to public shareholders, he said.
“I, as a founder-promoter, owe it our country and our shareholders the necessary stewardship to ensure that we continue to live up to our promise”.
In the last more than 16 years, employees’ collective efforts have built an “admirable” Indian brand, which has earned the goodwill of customers and public shareholders alike, Bhatia said.
IndiGo had a fleet of 283 aircraft, including 56 A320 CEOs, 140 A320 NEOs, 52 A321 NEOs and 35 ATRs at the end of December 2021. It operated a peak of 1,574 daily flights during the quarter, including non-scheduled flights.
