Indian Airlines flight attendants lose the battle of the bulge

A group of Indian Airlines flight attendants who were grounded for being overweight have lost a year-long battle to be allowed back to work.
The Delhi High Court rejected the women’s argument that their employer’s decision was “unreasonable and demeaning” – and even suggested they lose weight.

“If the air hostesses are asked to battle their bulge ..it is not understood how it is in any way unfair, unreasonable and insulting,” judge Rekha Sharma said in the ruling. “If by perseverance the snails could reach the ark, why can’t these worthy ladies stand on and turn the scale?”

The ruling came two months after another court ruled that Indian Airlines, the state-run national carrier, was obliged to pay flight attendants’ salaries in full even if they were grounded for being overweight.

Indian Airlines hailed Friday’s ruling, saying it was simply enforcing its longstanding regulations for air crew.

Sheela Joshi, one of 11 attendants who sued the airline, described the court’s decision as “unconstitutional” and vowed to appeal. She accuses Indian Airlines of trying to replace its older, and heavier, cabin crew with younger, slimmer recruits to attract business.

“This is very disappointing,” she said. “They think the planes have become catwalks and we’ve all got to be models. How does your weight affect your efficiency as a crew member?”

The dispute reflects the growing competition between Indian Airlines and private carriers. One of them, Kingfisher Airlines, claims to have India’s most beautiful attendants and kits them out with short skirts and high heels.

The legal wrangle began after Indian Airlines grounded 140 air crew without pay last year for being overweight.

Like many airlines, it stipulates in air crew contracts that staff can be laid off if their weight exceeds a certain level.

In 1990, it said staff could exceed their maximum natural weight, as defined by company doctors, by up to 10 per cent. A decade later it changed the allowance to 7kg. It reduced that to 3kg over the next five years, then scrapped it a year ago.

Ms Joshi and colleagues argued the airline should revert to the 10 per cent excess allowance to take into account natural changes in women’s bodies between the ages of 35 and 58. Indian Airlines crew retire at 58.

Ms Joshi says her natural weight is 66-67kg and she can slim down to 63kg only by going on crash diets.