Focus on conduct, not weight, airline told

Instead of insisting that air-hostesses shed extra pounds and maintain slim waistlines, it would be better if the focus was on having courteous air-hostesses. The Supreme Court offered this advice to Indian Airlines  (now Air India) on Friday while hearing an appeal filed by some air-hostesses who were sacked for being ‘overweight’.

“All the passengers will be a happier lot if your air-hostesses extend better behaviour rather than your insisting on these conditions,” said a bench of justices Tarun Chatterjee and HL Dattu.

The airline argued that in the present competitive environment it could not afford to have air-hostesses who are overweight and, thus, less attractive and active. To this, the court said: “In an independent country, will it be grounds to sack employees? Will it be grounds for dismissal? It can be struck down. We can do that.”

The air-hostesses filed the special leave petition after the Delhi High Court upheld the airline’s decision to relieve them of on-flight duties and allotted them ground duties as they were found to have exceeded the maximum permissible weight.

The case has been adjourned till August.