Rahul Bhatia describes himself as 'Kuchh Hee Dinon Kaa Mehmaan' after new CEO announcement

New Delhi, IndiGo's Co-Founder and Managing Director Rahul Bhatia, who is currently managing the affairs of the airline, on Tuesday described himself as 'Kuchh Hee Dinon Kaa Mehmaan' as the carrier is set to welcome William Walsh as the new CEO.

Less than three weeks after the sudden exit of then CEO Pieter Elbers on March 10, IndiGo on Tuesday announced that aviation industry veteran Walsh will be the replacement and is expected to take over on or before August 3 this year.

In an internal message to the staff, Bhatia said that to his mind, IndiGo is privileged to be led by a leader of Walsh's stature and track record.


"Equally importantly, I take pride in knowing that by accepting the invitation of the Board of Directors of IndiGo to lead the charge, he has placed his belief and confidence in what has been painstakingly built over the years by all of you... I expect to have the good fortune of handing over the baton to him on or before the 3rd of August 2026!," he said.

He signed off in the message saying 'Rahul' or 'Kuchh Hee Dinon Kaa Mehmaan', which literally means a guest for a short time.

In the context of IndiGo, the words imply that now that his responsibility of managing the airline's affairs will be for a short period as the new CEO will take over.

When the announcement of Elbers' resignation was made on March 10, Bhatia had sent a message to the staff saying, "I step into my expanded role of managing the affairs of IndiGo with a deep sense of responsibility -- not only to the company's customers and its shareholders, but to every employee who powers this airline...

"I remain, as I have always been, fully committed to strengthening our culture, reinforcing Operational Excellence, and ensuring that we continue to deliver exceptional service and value to our customers".

He signed off in the message as 'Rahul alias Main Hoon Naa'.

'Main Hoon Naa' was a Bollywood blockbuster starring Shah Rukh Khan that was released in 2004.

Elbers had quit three months after the massive operational disruptions at the airline in December 2025.