Indian regulator investigates AirAsia India safety lapses

The Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced it opened an investigation after a pilot claimed he was suspended after revealing that AirAsia India violated several safety rules.

Gaurav Taneja, a former AirAsia India pilot and social media influencer accused the airline in a series of tweets and a video of suspending him after he reported several safety regulations that were not being respected. 

Among them, Taneja claims that the AirAsia India’s management asked him to work during his for asking him to work during his rest day after he had taken a sick leave. "When I started protesting against this, the chief of flight safety said in an email that I report sick and fatigue frequently. They also suggested undergoing lifestyle counseling and medical," Taneja said. 

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He also claims the company asked its employees to land 98% of the time in “Flap 3” mode, regardless of the descent’s steepness, in order to save fuel. That measure, he said, puts the lives of passengers directly at risk.

An AirAsia India official confirmed to Livemint that the pilot was suspended due to disciplinary issues but denied his suspension was related to those reports of safety discrepancies.

Without naming the airline, the DGCA announced on Twitter it had opened an investigation into the pilot’s allegations following a request from some of AirAsia India’s stakeholders.