Air India to offload overweight cabin crew

This was one of the headlines mentioned in the daily news bulletin of BBC Tamil Radio. I moved over to Google news to get more details on the same. Interestingly, international news sites like CNN and BBC are more keen to cover such news. Hindustan Times was probably the only prominent Indian site to report this. I was expecting a retaliatory statement from the Air India union. The cabin crew unions have actually welcomed the decision. The HT article pointed out how people from different states are evaluated

“We welcome the decision, as it is for our own benefit. It will indirectly help us to maintain healthy lifestyle, but we urge AI to re-start the health club facility for our cabin crew members to conform to these stringent weight parameter,” said Raju Joshi, senior vice-president AICCA. The entire cabin crew is divided into three categories. Those from Punjab are allowed a five-kilogram relaxation, while those hailing from Maharashtra and Gujarat are in the second and are allowed a little deviation in weight, while the rest fall under the third category.

All the three categories have to confirm to different weight parameters depending upon determinants like age, gender, and height. The entire selection is then divided into three categories underweight, overweight and obese levels. The BMI levels are taken into account but only for the senior ECC.

CNN has more:

But the airline is trying to change the public perception that its cabin staff are tired and inefficient and a recently issued directive says overweight pilots, flight stewards and stewardesses will not be allowed to fly unless they lose the weight.

He would not say how many people would be affected by the order to lose weight, but the Hindustan Times newspaper reported that a significant number of cabin crew members between the ages of 40 and 55 were "overweight, obese or morbidly obese."

"Imagine if crew members can't fasten their seat belts, how can they fly?" Rao asked.