Air India cabin crew told they are 'too fat to fly'

Air India has come under fire for its decision to ground flight attendants it considers overweight.

The state-owned airline has declared 130 cabin crew members – the majority of them women –"permanently unfit to fly" because their body mass index (BMI) was considered too high.

The airline considers a BMI of between 18 and 22 to be "normal" for women, between 22 and 27 is "overweight" and "obese" for anything over 27.

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Last year, 600 staff members were given a six-month deadline to reach a "normal" weight or face demotion. Those who failed to meet the standards will now be given ground assignments at airports.

The airline insists it is a not an issue of weight, but one of "fitness" and safety. "People who are fitter can respond quicker and more efficiently in case of any untoward situation," an official said.

However, this isn't the first time the airline has caused controversy; in 2004 it said potential flight attendants should not have any scars, acne, or any major marks on the face, the BBC reports.

Critics were quick to suggest the move was simply another thinly veiled attempt to remove flight attendants who did not meet certain beauty standards.

"This move to impose a certain BMI, ignoring experience and other performance parameters, is immature, misogynistic and shockingly sexist," Mark Martin, an aviation industry consultant, told told the Calcutta Telegraph.

Another aviation expert said there were other things the airline could do to address its safety concerns. "If the directorate is serious about the security aspect, it should come up with training guidelines and frequently subject all airlines to surprise safety audits, which could include mock evacuation drills," the consultant said.

However, aviation expert Kapil Kaul told the BBC than an overweight crew is a signal the airline is not fit. "You need a smart friendly agile crew that can complement the image of the airline," he said.

But medical experts caution against linking BMI to fitness levels. "A person with a BMI of 27 could be fitter than a person with a BMI of 21," said Dr Anoop Misra, director of the Fortis Centre for Diabetes, Obesity and Cholesterol. "Some wrestlers and athletes are extremely fit; their high BMI comes from muscle, not fat," he explained.