State-run Indian airline has grounded nearly 125 members of cabin staff because they are overweight. Reports reaching Greenbarge Reporters reveal that the Indian national carrier had, last year, asked about 600 cabin crew members to lose weight or be grounded.
It was reported that some of the grounded crew members have been re-assigned to positions on the ground while others have been offered voluntary retirement.
Sources in the airline hinted that those crew singled out, including stewardesses who have failed to maintain the weight requirements stipulated by the aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
A BMI of 25-29.9 for male crew is considered overweight and 30 and above is obese, while for females BMI of 22-27 is overweight and 27 and above obese.
Employees that fall in the overweight category would be deemed ‘temporarily unfit’.
Staff can continue to fly for up to 19 months with this tag but if they don’t slim down in that time they will eventually be seen as ‘permanently unfit’ and grounded. [myad]
