The Supreme Court issued notice to the Centre on a petition challenging the Delhi HC's judgement that allowed appointment of female cabin crew members as IFS in AI.
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Centre on a petition challenging the Delhi High Court's judgement that allowed appointment of female cabin crew members as In-Flight Supervisors (IFS) in the national carrier Air India.
For the last three decades, the posts of IFS has been reserved for flight pursers (male cabin crew members).
A bench headed by Justice H K Sema while continuing the status quo order passed earlier observed that it would not apply to post-1997 recruitments. It also sought response from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Air India and others.
Challenging the eligibility of female crew members for appointment as In-Flight Supervisors, Air India Cabin Crew Association and others submitted that the two cadres - Air Hostesses and Pursers - cannot be compared and seniority cannot be merged or equated.
The disparity with regard to service existed prior to 1997 when air hostesses appointed were between the age of 18-24 with secondary school qualification whereas the flight pursers were required to be Graduates and were appointed as pursers at much older age, it said, adding flight pursers started their services three incremental levels below the air hostesses.
The petitions while seeking stay on the High Court order said Air India could not unilaterally designate the air hostesses to function as IFS by changing their job description to the detriment of these flight pursers when the post had been reserved for them for the last three decades.
"The High Court failed to appreciate that the matter was not pertaining to gender discrimination but was challenge to the unilateral administrative order by which two cadres were sought to be merged and a common seniority list prepared," one of the petitions stated.
The High Court judgement came on a bunch of petitions filed by male cabin crew members (recruited prior to June 5, 1997) challenging the Centre's order allowing female crew members to fly till the age of 58 years and making female crew members eligible for appointment as In-Flight Supervisors.
The High Court had upheld the central government administrative order dated December 27, 2005 which placed Executive Female Cabin Crew at par with their male counterparts for appointment of IFS.
It had also allowed female cabin crew in the national carrier Air India to fly till they are 58 years.
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