Top AirAsia officials suspended as pilot alleges safety lapses

India’s aviation regulator suspended two senior executives at the local affiliate of AirAsia Group after a pilot alleged there were safety lapses at the airline and subsequently was fired. AirAsia India’s head of operations, Manish Uppal, and head of safety, Mukesh Nema, were suspended for three months, Arun Kumar, chief of India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation, said Tuesday. In a video posted in June that’s been viewed more than 6m times on YouTube, pilot Gaurav Taneja questioned AirAsia India’s policies on sick leave, landing procedures and handling of the coronavirus. Taneja posts under the username Flying Beast and has more than 3.5m YouTube subscribers. AirAsia India counted sick days as mandatory break days for pilots, depriving them of the required rest before flying an aircraft, Taneja said. He alleged that the airline sets targets for pilots to land using a specific fuel-saving approach, which can be more dangerous at certain airports. AirAsia India also didn’t follow standard operating procedures related to flying during the pandemic, Taneja alleged. A spokesperson for AirAsia India said the airline has made interim appointments to fill the two posts, in accordance with directions from the aviation regulator.<br/>