Elbers stresses safety priority at IndiGo European route launches

Speaking at the launch of IndiGo’s first European services to Manchester, Elbers told Aviation Week: “All airlines, whenever a tragedy like this happens, are reviewing all the steps they do internally. [It is] not changing things, per se, because you don't know what exactly happened, but within the aviation space safety is something you always have a on top of the priority list.”

“First and foremost, what happened is a human tragedy and I conveyed condolences immediately after the accident to all the families involved, and the colleagues of Air India. At the end of the day, we are all part of one aviation fraternity,” said Elbers.

“When it comes to what happens [next], I don't think any airline CEO would speculate or would guess. My humble view is you must stay out of that, and you wait for what the investigation will tell us.”

In the wake of the crash, “the Indian government had announced a set of measures to be taken and additional checks to be done,” explained Elbers. “We are fully compliant with any additional checks or inspections, and we are in touch with the regulator as well as with the manufacturer.”

As the aircraft operator Norse is the prime contact with Boeing while IndiGo is the prime contact point for the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation and Ministry of Civil Aviation.

“We have our own procedures and processes which, of course, we constantly evaluate, but until it's clear what caused this tragedy you cannot just start changing things,” added Elbers.

In addition to the comments of Elbers, IndiGo issued this statement: “The spirit of aviation is one of resilience, constant improvement, innovation and a relentless focus on safety.

“At IndiGo, these values guide everything we do, dedicated towards ensuring a safe, secure, and reliable air travel experience for everyone. Safety is a top priority in aviation and a continuous journey of improvement, despite the industry's high safety record.

“Decades of sharing knowledge, learning from both advancements and even from tragic accidents, have shaped the aviation industry into what it is today.

“Aviation transports millions worldwide each day under strict safety protocols. It is considered one of the safest modes of transportation. It is vital that this trust continues to be upheld and strengthened with every flight.”