“At IndiGo, we are proud to give wings to the nation by connecting people and aspirations for the past 17 years, making air travel accessible for hundreds of millions of Indians.” – Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo Airlines.  

Today, IndiGo Airlines is regarded by many (myself included) as one of India’s best airlines to-date. In 2023, IndiGo reached an incredible milestone, becoming the first Indian airline to board over 100 million passengers within a single year.

On top of that, features like “IndiGo Early” and the new “Three Point Disembarkation” process became a smash hit for frequent airline users. With IndiGo Early, users could now catch the next flight for just INR 1800, provided they landed early at the airport, making connecting flights within India a much more affordable experience. Their new Three Point Disembarkation process also helped passengers exit faster with two forward ramps and one rear ramp.  

However, there’s so much more than meets the eye for IndiGo Airlines.  

IndiGo’s Digital Transformation: Quick, Playful & feature-rich

For starters, IndiGo’s rise to its 60% market share in the Indian aviation industry did not just stem from the factors above alone. A key driver was how it blended all of it seamlessly with its digital transformation initiatives to make the travel experience seamless.  

From booking tickets to buying travel insurance, IndiGo’s investments in top-tier technology within its applications and programs have enabled it to stand out greatly from its competition.

Ai Chatbot ‘6Eskai’

Fueled by the purpose of answering customer queries on a larger scale, IndiGo’s digital team worked closely with Microsoft and the underlying technology from Open AI (the company behind ChatGPT) to create 6Eskai.  

Powered by the advanced GPT 4.0 technology, Indigo’s AI Chatbot boasts 1.7 trillion parameters, enabling it to:

• Addressing customer queries in 10 different languages  

• Perform a wide range of tasks such as booking tickets and add-ons, applying promotional discounts, performing web check-ins, seat selection, trip planning and establishing better customer-agent connections.

For instance, consumers can now address their needs through a simple chat with 6Eskai, rather than navigating through multiple screens when booking a flight.

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On top of being a well-performing AI-driven chat assistant, IndiGo claims that early results from the soft launch had indicated a 75% reduction in customer service agent workload.  

‘Plan B’ by Indigo’

As the name suggests, Indigo’s “Plan B” is the new-age answer to the old-age problem of flight disruptions, cancellations and delays. By offering flexibility and minimizing inconvenience, the self-service feature empowers customers with viable options even when travel plans go awry.  

Utilizing a simple and seamless 2-step process, customers can reschedule their flights in under 5 minutes.  

1. Enter PNR details

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2. Reschedule or cancellation

By leveraging AI and ML technology, Plan B by IndiGo can also swiftly analyze available flights and suggest optimal alternatives tailored specifically to each passenger’s needs.  

Simultaneously, automation capabilities ensure these changes are processed seamlessly, drastically reducing wait times and eliminating the hassle of traditional rebooking methods.  

Hotel Booking

Beyond just flights, Indigo offers integrated hotel and taxi bookings via app and web, making travel planning a breeze. The app also utilizes AI and ML technologies to curate personalised user recommendations for a heightened customer experience. Engagement and retention is also key for Indigo’s success, with the Indian airline ensuring that every user is rewarded with cash discounts following each completed booking.

Crowning their digital efforts, the airline also launched a ‘Lite’ version of their application “6EBreeze Lite’ that works on a simplified UI and allows users to book tickets in just 3 steps, even on the slowest internet connection.

IndiGo Airlines sets the Standard for Top-Tier Digital Success

Indigo’s relentless focus on enhancing customer experience has earned them numerous accolades in recent years:

• Airline of the Year: Awarded at the Air Transport Awards 2024 for outstanding service and operational excellence.  

• Most Preferred Airline in India: Recognized in a recent poll, particularly favored by Gen Z travelers for its affordability and quality service.

• Best Airline Staff in Central Asia/India: Recognized by Skytrax for exceptional service and professionalism of its staff in the Central Asia and India region.

• Best Low-Cost Airline in India and South Asia: At the 2023 World Airline Awards, held at the Paris Air Show

• Excellence in Customer Experience: Gold award at the ACEF Asian Leaders Awards for the ‘Lean, Clean Flying Machine’ campaign.

• Customer Experience Excellence in Aviation: Awarded at the Future of Contact Center Summit and Awards for swift response to business disruptions and innovative handling of situations

With its robust digital transformation, omnichannel support, and integration of advanced technologies at physical touchpoints, Indigo has set a high standard in the aviation industry. Companies across various sectors can enhance their customer experience by taking a page from Indigo’s playbook, and driving loyalty and growth.