Khaberni - In a widely controversial move, Air India announced the implementation of a new physical fitness policy targeting aircrew members, including subjecting them to body mass index (BMI) tests, with the possibility of barring non-compliant individuals from employment and salary.
Local media, including NDTV, reported that the company will start implementing BMI measurements for all crew members from the first of May, and according to the new policy, the index must be within the healthy range of 18 to 24.9, according to the New York Post.
According to the guidelines, those who register an index below 18 are considered underweight, and they will be required to obtain a medical permit before being allowed to return to work. During the waiting period for medical approval, they will be excluded from flight schedules, with the possibility of not being paid.
Crew members whose readings range between 25 and 29.9 are classified as overweight, and they must undergo a medical examination before obtaining permission to fly, while those who record 30 or more, and are classified as obese, will be stopped from working immediately.
The company grants employees who do not meet the standards a 30-day grace period to adjust their health status and provide an acceptable reading. If results continue to be outside the specified range, the employee may be subjected to warning letters and possible disciplinary actions.
The Economic Times reported that the new policy will also be applied to trainees wishing to join the air hospitality crew jobs.
This is not the first
And this is not the first step of its kind in the aviation sector to draw criticism, as Southwest Airlines faced a wave of objections after ending its "open seating at boarding" policy that has been in place for 50 years, as well as its policies related to passengers with substantial weights, which require some of them to book and pay for two seats in advance.
