New Delhi, Jan. 27 -- Air India's projected $1.6 billion loss and IndiGo's 78% profit plunge prove what management research has documented for decades: what's good for customers is good for business. In this case, hurt the customer and maim yourself.

India's two big airlines appear to have forgotten this.

IndiGo's December 2025 crisis, which led to flight cancellations, stranding lakhs of passengers, resulted from the company's failure (or refusal) to hire enough pilots for new pilot roster rules, which had been in place long before. It is no surprise that Skytrax's 2025 World Airline Awards, widely considered the industry's most authoritative benchmark, ranked IndiGo 39th globally based on in-flight products, cabin service, and ground ...