IndiGo has appointed Captain Rohit Rikhye as its new Head of Operations Control Centre (OCC), replacing Jason Herter. This is the airline’s first major senior-level change since the widespread operational disruptions the airline faced in December last year, PTI reported.
In January, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) took several actions against the airline over the disruptions, including imposing fines totaling ₹22 crore and directing the removal of a senior vice-president.
The airline recorded an operational meltdown with more than 4,500 flights cancelled, leaving lakhs of passengers stranded across major airports in the country in December 2025. The core reason behind the issue was an acute crew shortage triggered by the rollout of the new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms.
Rohit Rikhye’s role and responsibilities
In an internal communication sent on Friday, the country’s largest airline by market capitalization announced that Rohit Rikhye has been named as the Head of OCC with immediate effect.
He has been directed to report to the airline’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) Isidre Porqueras, the news agency said.
Rikhye has been serving as an employee of the airline for over 11 years. He has previously held the position of the Chief Pilot — Standards, QA and Operations Safety. Meanwhile, the current OCC chief Herter is moving out of the airline.
According to the communication seen by PTI, Rikhye has been given the responsibility to lead the OCC, which manages real-time coordination and oversight of flight operations, including flight planning, tracking, and dispatch, in compliance with regulatory requirements such as air traffic control rules and safety guidelines.
He would also supervise crew scheduling and rostering. “I am sure his current and past experience will help him in managing his new role,” the communication document added.
Indigo loses market share due to the crisis
On January 22, Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma appeared on behalf of the civil aviation ministry and DGCA, and submitted that several steps were taken by the authorities in the aftermath of the crisis.
A senior vice-president of the airline was told to be dismissed from service and a penalty of ₹22 crore was also imposed, he had said, the news agency reported.
Mint reported earlier that IndiGo lost 4% of its domestic market share in December after the massive flight disruption in that month over the government’s updated flight duty norms.
IndiGo’s market share dropped to 59.6% in December 2025, compared to 63.6% market share levels back in November 2025, according to monthly traffic data from the DGCA.
