A pilot of AirAsia claimed that his airline has been compromising safety norms in the name of "fuel-saving" prompting the Director-General of Aviation of India (DGCA) to look into the matter.

India's aviation watchdog has begun the investigation against AirAsia after an Airbus 320 pilot made serious safety allegations against the airline. Recently, AirAsia suspended the pilot in connection with disciplinary action.

Speaking to the news agency, the pilot said that "The airline was putting unnecessary pressure on pilots to operate under unwanted conditions. I myself denied doing flight operation while I was unwell but my Chief of Operation ordered an investigation against me & finally, today airline suspended me. I will take up the matter for a legal battle."

Meanwhile, sources in AirAsia said that the pilot was suspended after he violated the disciplinary rules of the company.

AirAsia sources said that "Company has set up an internal inquiry to investigate the entire matter in details".

The AirAsia pilot further claimed that airline is compromising the safety issues with the name of "fuel-saving" while the company has said that suspended pilot has made mostly flap full landing instead of flap-3 landing.

The pilot said that "Company had warned me earlier that's why I landed flight in flap full landing in the month of March because flap-full landing is always safe landing. As per my record, I was mostly rostered for the North-East & made landing in Imphal & other tabletop runways which were standard practice to do the flap-full landing. The big difference between flap-full landing & flap-3 landing is to save fuel. Around 8-kilo fuel is reduced in flap-3".

DGCA began its probe & has sent a team to the AirAsia office to investigate the matter.

DGCA said that "DGCA has taken note of the concerns raised by some stakeholders against a particular Airline & its approach to safety. DGCA has already started an investigation into the issues flagged & shall take appropriate action based on the outcome of the said investigation".

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