It won’t just be planes that are grounded.
A major airline is rolling out a new cabin crew fitness policy – and those who fail risk going without pay.
Air India officials will be carrying out body mass index (BMI) checks on its aircraft staff from May 1, local media outlet NDTV reported.
Chiefs are cracking down on those who do not report a healthy range, which is somewhere between 18 and 24.9.
Cabin crew staffers who report a BMI under 18 are considered underweight and will have to be medically cleared.
They will be removed from rosters while they await clearance and risk going without pay.
Overweight stewards who report a BMI between 25 and 29.9 will also have to undergo an exam before being cleared to fly.
But, obese cabin crew members with a BMI of 30 or above will be immediately grounded.
Those who fail the new fitness policy will have 30 days to provide an acceptable score.
Staffers that continue to report readings outside the acceptable range risk being slapped with caution letters and potential disciplinary action.
The new policy will apply to those training to become cabin crew, the Economic Times reported.
Air India isn’t the only airline to roll out a controversial measure.
Southwest Airlines came under heavy criticism after bosses ended the carrier’s 50-year-old open seating policy.
Plus-size travelers are also impacted by the airline’s policy when it comes to booking two seats.
Larger travelers must pay for a second seat in advance.
Read the full article here
