Air-India sacks 10 ‘overweight’ airhostesses

Air-India, the state-run carrier of India, has dismissed 10 airhostesses for being “exceptionally overweight.”

A spokesman of Air-India said: “The dismissals followed after the cabin crew were warned about meeting minimum physical fitness standards and given sufficient time to lose weight. The flight attendants were also offered alternative ground assignments, which they refused.”

Air-India said more airhostesses have been served similar notices.

The High Court of Delhi, India, had in 2008 upheld Air-India’s right to reassign overweight attendants, citing clauses in their contracts that barred them from flight duties if they put on too much weight.

The court had also had noted that “the state-run airline needed fit attendants to compete with private rivals in India’s fiercely competitive aviation market.”

The 10 airhostesses had been grounded for years and were dismissed after a medical board declared them unfit for duty. The airline says they had been given ample opportunity to shed weight.

Air-India had also withdrawn the 3-kilogram “grace” allowed over the prescribed weight limits.

The Air-India spokesman added: “They haven’t been flying for two to three years for being exceptionally overweight. They were sacked strictly under the terms of their appointment.”

He confirmed reports that that some of the sacked airhostesses had moved the Delhi High Court challenging the dismissal, which the court rejected.

According to him, this is not the first time that Air-India has sacked employees for being overweight.

Air-India’s rules prescribe different weight limits according to the height and age of the airhostesses – for an 18-year-old airhostess with a height of 152 centimetres, the maximum weight permissible is 50 kilograms; for air hostesses between the age of 26 and 30 years and a height of 152 centimetres, the weight limit is 56 kilograms.

Counsel for the 10 sacked airhostesses was quoted as commenting: “Air-India has acted illegally as the airhostess were not served any notice and the decision was taken when the matter was pending in the Supreme Court. The action is illegal and against natural justice.”

He said he would move the Supreme Court against the order.

The media quoted one of the dismissed airhostess as reacting: “We have served the airline for anywhere up to 18 years and had sought ground-duty postings, but instead of doing that, women in the age group of 30 to 40 have been sacked. This move smacks of vindictiveness as anyone flying the carrier can see how many fat or fit airhostesses the airline has.”