IndiGo Co-Founder: Airport-Airline Ownership Is a ‘Massive Conflict of Interest’

IndiGo Co-Founder and Interim CEO Rahul Bhatia came out against a proposal that would let airport operators hold stakes in airlines, reacting to reports that the Indian government is exploring the policy change.

“It has no global precedent because it typically would reflect a massive conflict of interest. And over a period of time, it would actually be against the interest of consumers,” Bhatia said on IndiGo’s earnings call Thursday.

Asked whether IndiGo itself might one day partner with an airport operator under a changed regulatory regime, Bhatia was noncommittal, calling the question “moot” until the policy picture becomes clearer. “Let’s see how this whole thing develops, and then we can take a considered view on how to approach things into the future,” he said.