Gaurav Taneja, aka Flying Beast, reacts to Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad: 'In May 2020, I raised...'

The Air India plane crash near Ahmedabad airport has triggered fresh concerns over the airline’s safety standards, particularly questioning the appointment of its current Head of Flight Operations, Captain Manish Uppal. He was previously suspended by aviation authorities during his time at AirAsia India for safety violations.

The tragic crash occurred on Thursday, when an Air India flight heading from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick went down just minutes after take-off. Out of 242 people on board, 241 lost their lives, making it one of the deadliest aviation disasters in India’s recent history. Investigations are underway to determine what caused the fatal incident.

However, the accident has reignited discussions about accountability within Air India. Many have questioned the decision to appoint Capt. Manish Uppal to a key leadership role. Social media has been abuzz after former AirAsia pilot and YouTuber Gaurav Taneja highlighted Uppal’s suspension from AirAsia India in 2020.

“In May 2020, I raised serious flight safety concerns against #AirAsia. DGCA investigated, safety lapses found and suspended 2 top officials. Who was the top boss—Capt. Manish Uppal (also suspended),” Taneja posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday.

He added, “Today, after the merger of Air Asia, Vistara and Air India. Guess who is the top boss of flight operations at Air India. Capt. Manish Uppal.”

As per Air India’s official website, Capt. Uppal, with more than 20 years of experience in civil aviation, was appointed as Senior Vice President of Flight Operations in 2023. In a statement issued in October 2023, the airline said, “...Capt. Manish Uppal, who transitioned from Air Asia India a few months ago, has been appointed as Senior Vice President Flight Operations.”

The merger of AirAsia India with Air India Express was completed in October 2024.

The controversy dates back to 2020, when Taneja raised red flags about flight safety practices at AirAsia India. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) launched an investigation and found serious lapses in the airline’s operations. It later suspended two senior officials, including Capt. Uppal and Head of Flight Safety Mukesh Nema, for three months.

“We had issued a show cause notice to two AirAsia India executives—Head of Operations Manish Uppal and Head of Flight Safety Mukesh Nema—in June only. It has been decided now to suspend them for a period of three months,” the DGCA had said.

Taneja claimed he was suspended by the airline “for standing up for safe operations of an aircraft and its passengers”. In a detailed video shared in 2020, he accused the airline of pressuring pilots to perform 98 per cent of landings in “Flap 3” mode—a setting that saves fuel but can be risky in poor weather.

He alleged that failure to comply with the 98 per cent target was treated as a violation of the airline’s standard operating procedure (SOP). According to Taneja, “Flap 3” landings are often less stable and should not be mandatory across all conditions.