IndiGo names new Operations Control Centre head to steady flights post-December disruption
According to an internal communication, the airline has appointed Rohit Rikhye has been appointed as the Head of OCC with immediate effect. He will report to Chief Operating Officer Isidre Porqueras.
- Feb 21, 2026,
- Updated Feb 21, 2026 10:59 PM IST
India’s largest carrier IndiGo has initiated its first senior management rejig since the massive operational disruptions in December, appointing Captain Rohit Rikhye as the new Head of its Operations Control Centre (OCC), according to a PTI report.
In an internal communication, the airline said Rohit Rikhye has been appointed as the Head of OCC with immediate effect. He will report to Chief Operating Officer Isidre Porqueras, the report added.
Rikhye, who has been with the airline for over 11 years, was serving as Chief Pilot -- Standards, QA & Ops Safety. He replaces Jason Herter, who is moving out of the airline.
According to the communication, Rikhye will 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 will also oversee crew scheduling and rostering, the PTI report added.
DGCA action and penalty
The appointment comes against the backdrop of regulatory action following the December disruptions.
In January, aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) took various actions against the airline, including imposing penalties totalling Rs 22 crore and asking dismissal of a senior vice-president, in relation to the operational disruptions.
On January 22, Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma appeared on behalf of the civil aviation ministry and the 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 Rs 22 crore was also imposed, he had said.
The leadership change at the OCC marks the first visible structural response at the senior level after the disruptions and subsequent regulatory scrutiny.
Q3 performance
InterGlobe Aviation Ltd, the parent company of India’s largest airline, IndiGo, reported a sharp decline in its bottom line for the third quarter ended December 31, 2025. The low-cost carrier’s net profit nosedived by 77.6 per cent to Rs 549.8 crore, compared to Rs 2,448.8 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year. The steep fall was primarily driven by a massive Rs 1,546.5 crore hit from exceptional items, which heavily skewed the quarter’s performance.
Despite the massive hit to profitability caused by exceptional items, the airline witnessed a growth in its topline. Revenue from operations for the quarter climbed 6.2 per cent to Rs 23,471.9 crore, up from Rs 22,110.7 crore in the same period last year.
Additionally, the company absorbed costs of Rs 555 crore related to operational disruptions and a penalty of Rs 22.2 crore imposed by the DGCA. Passenger traffic also saw an uptick, rising 2.8 per cent to 3.19 crore during the quarter.
India’s largest carrier IndiGo has initiated its first senior management rejig since the massive operational disruptions in December, appointing Captain Rohit Rikhye as the new Head of its Operations Control Centre (OCC), according to a PTI report.
In an internal communication, the airline said Rohit Rikhye has been appointed as the Head of OCC with immediate effect. He will report to Chief Operating Officer Isidre Porqueras, the report added.
Rikhye, who has been with the airline for over 11 years, was serving as Chief Pilot -- Standards, QA & Ops Safety. He replaces Jason Herter, who is moving out of the airline.
According to the communication, Rikhye will 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 will also oversee crew scheduling and rostering, the PTI report added.
DGCA action and penalty
The appointment comes against the backdrop of regulatory action following the December disruptions.
In January, aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) took various actions against the airline, including imposing penalties totalling Rs 22 crore and asking dismissal of a senior vice-president, in relation to the operational disruptions.
On January 22, Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma appeared on behalf of the civil aviation ministry and the 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 Rs 22 crore was also imposed, he had said.
The leadership change at the OCC marks the first visible structural response at the senior level after the disruptions and subsequent regulatory scrutiny.
Q3 performance
InterGlobe Aviation Ltd, the parent company of India’s largest airline, IndiGo, reported a sharp decline in its bottom line for the third quarter ended December 31, 2025. The low-cost carrier’s net profit nosedived by 77.6 per cent to Rs 549.8 crore, compared to Rs 2,448.8 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year. The steep fall was primarily driven by a massive Rs 1,546.5 crore hit from exceptional items, which heavily skewed the quarter’s performance.
Despite the massive hit to profitability caused by exceptional items, the airline witnessed a growth in its topline. Revenue from operations for the quarter climbed 6.2 per cent to Rs 23,471.9 crore, up from Rs 22,110.7 crore in the same period last year.
Additionally, the company absorbed costs of Rs 555 crore related to operational disruptions and a penalty of Rs 22.2 crore imposed by the DGCA. Passenger traffic also saw an uptick, rising 2.8 per cent to 3.19 crore during the quarter.