Air India may have just entered a pretty ‘heavy’ situation after allegedly grounding around 130 flight attendants for failing to shed some pounds.
Around six months ago, India’s flag carrier is believed to have told 600 of its 3,500 flight attendants to lose weight or risk being declared to ‘unfit’ to fly.
While 470 found a way to drop the extra kilos, the other 130 must have had a little trouble, because according to the UK’s Telegraph, they were told this week that they are ‘permanently unfit’ for their roles.
Air India’s regulations state that female flight attendants are required to have a Body Mass Index between 18-22. Anything above 22 is considered overweight and if it exceeds 27 they’re ‘obese’.
For the everyday person, the average BMI sits between 20-25. It hits overweight at 25 and then obese at 30.
While the female flight attendants are being heavily scrutinised, male cabin crew have a little more wiggle room, with the expectations that their BMI should be between 18-25, which is more in line with the everyday calculator.
With such ‘slim’ expectations in mind, Air India has allegedly put its ‘overweight’ and ‘obese’ attendants through clinical examinations as well encouraged increased diet and exercise – all of which was being monitored by staff.
However, after six months of extensive work an Air India official told the UK’s Telegraph that 130 crew members ‘failed the reassessment’ and would no longer be allowed to fly.
The official continued, saying that fitter flight staff ‘can respond quicker and more efficiently in case of any untoward situation’.
KarryOn has contacted Air India’s representatives in Australia for comment.