Youtuber Gaurav Taneja aka Flying Beast has stirred up a massive controversy after exposing AirAsia and its alleged shoddy practices in a video he posted on his official YouTube channel yesterday. Taneja, who enjoys a massive social media following and boasts of over 2.89 million subscribers on YouTube, explained the chain of events that led to him being suspended by the company. Besides being one of the biggest YouTube stars of the country, Taneja is an IIT-Kharagpur Civil engineering graduate and works professionally as a commercial airline pilot, having previously worked with IndiGo.
Link of the video: https://youtu.be/zSuDRcu15H0
Before the video, Taneja had posted on Twitter saying that he was officially suspended by AirAsia India for standing up for safe operations of an aircraft and its passengers.
Today I have been officially suspended from @AirAsiaIndian for standing up for safe operations of an aircraft and its passengers.@AwakenIndia #SabkeLiye
— Gaurav Taneja (@flyingbeast320) June 14, 2020
Unethical sick leave policy
In the video, Gaurav Taneja raised objections against the unethical leave policies of AirAsia and revealed that they make the pilots operate under ill-health, thereby putting the lives of hundreds of passengers on-board in danger. A pilot must be in his best shape when he steps in the cockpit but according to Taneja, pilots were forced to work even when not fully fit.
“We (pilots) cannot operate if we are less than 100 percent and this is the regulation, and if you are not 100 percent and still flying, then its comparable to murder as you are putting the lives of 180-odd passengers on the line,” said Gaurav Taneja in his video.
Gaurav mentioned that AirAsia did not grant sick leaves. If one had to take a sick leave (like on Saturday), he/she would have to return to the job on the actual granted weekday holiday (Wednesday, in case of Gaurav) so as to compensate for the holiday.
Taneja had joined the AirAsia India airline in April last year and soon noticed big loopholes in the airline’s safety & security systems. Taneja iterated that he took his grievances through the proper channels but soon the airline and its staff started becoming hostile towards him.
Not following COVID-19 guidelines
The second issue Taneja mentioned in his video was the following of safety precautions set by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Government of India in the wake of Coronavirus pandemic for the airline carriers. According to Taneja, “AirAsia did not follow the ‘COVID-19’ safety precautionary measures.”
On 23 March, Gaurav reported major flag checks in the Aircraft he flies and AirAsia ignored the message risking Pilot’s and Passengers’ safety.
“The airline has money and resources but failed to provide even the smallest things to ensure passengers and airline staff safety. The ‘chalta hai’ attitude in India is a huge problem in the Airline industry.” Taneja added.
As a result, he was subjected to unnecessary lifestyle assessments by the safety board of the Airline. The airline wanted to dub him as a liability for frequently pointing out problems and not ‘doing his job’ quietly.
Taneja had given an indication couple of days prior to dropping the video that AirAsia was involved in something far more sinister. Taneja insinuated that the surge in articles related to AirAsia’s public safety policies was a part of an elaborate PR scheme by the airline.
People don’t know the real story, and the reason behind sudden surge in Articles related to public safety policies of @AirAsiaIndian https://t.co/eMpXx65ppQ
— Gaurav Taneja (@flyingbeast320) June 13, 2020
Flap 3 vs Flap-full
The third and final safety issue Taneja mentioned in his video was the landing module. An aircraft can land in two configurations, Flap 3 which saves fuel (approx. 8kg), and Flap Full which burns more fuel but guarantees a safe landing.
AirAsia demanded 98% Flap 3 landings from its pilots, even if it meant risking the lives of passengers. Gaurav Taneja who undertook 10 landings in March said that owing to the steep and difficult conditions in Imphal, he used the flap-full configuration, the two times he landed there.
Taneja mentioned that he was accused of having 71 percent Flap 3 landings and not meeting the requirements set by the airline. Taneja further added that not meeting the requirement meant demerit points being automatically added in the pilot’s account which ultimately leads to slashed bonuses at the end of the year.
The moment the video came out, Taneja’s followers over different social media platforms came out in support of him and started trending the #BoycottAirAsia hashtag.
Whistleblower video of Gaurav @flyingbeast320 -a successful pilot &even more successful vlogger! We hv shared long journeys together from Kanpur schooling to IIT Kgp &can vouch for his integrity. The way @AirAsia has treated him is deplorable. @HardeepSPuri Ji,pls look into this! https://t.co/lnqDmfkhoQ
— Rajat Sethi (@RajatSethi86) June 15, 2020
https://twitter.com/Amanb2001/status/1272423122847723520
One tweeter got angered by the revelations of Taneja that he went one step ahead and lodged his grievances on PG Portal.
I saw your video @flyingbeast320 sir.And lodged a complain in PG PORTAL.
Mera to itna khoon khol raha hai ki, agar paisa hota to wo company kharid leta abhi.
I am with you @flyingbeast320 sir & @captriturathee mam. #BoycottAirAsiaIndia#boycottairasiaIndian #boycottairasia pic.twitter.com/MLErKtCY0p— LD (@Akkian_Debashis) June 15, 2020
Meanwhile, the stocks of AirAsia started taking a beating, and at the time of writing the article had tanked nearly 11 percent.
https://twitter.com/2025OMG/status/1272432061601640449
Netizens questioned AirAsia’s money-saving tactics which put the lives of the passengers in jeopardy.
@AirAsiaIndian
You lost itA pilot @flyingbeast320
was suspended because he questioned the safety of passengers in AirAsia planeThey save 8-10kg fuel and risk passengers life by doing an unsafe landing and not folowing safety norms#BoycottAirAsiaIndia #boycottairasiaIndian
— Vikas Tiwari (@Vikas_official) June 15, 2020
"Sasti flight k chakkar me khi aap apni keemti jaan na kho baitho"
Travel from AirASIA
at ur own risk. Their priority is not the security of customers, rather how to save fuel. Even unwell pilots are forced to fly ..@flyingbeast320
@captriturathee— Pankaj Singh (@pankajhappy10) June 15, 2020
Thanks @RajatSethi86 . Waiting for @DGCAIndia to respond to my email. @HardeepSPuri sir, safety lapses are a serious concern. @AirAsiaIndian https://t.co/mfqnsGuqtW
— Gaurav Taneja (@flyingbeast320) June 15, 2020
The video of Taneja has created a furor over the shoddy operating procedures of AirAsia. The company has not released any official statement as of yet and the DGCA has also not come up with any statement.
AirAsia should come clean on the whole matter otherwise the controversy might spell doom for it is business as airlines are already under tremendous pressure due to COVID-19.
