Air hostesses grounded over weight approach Supreme Court

Five Indian Airlines air hostesses, who were grounded for putting on excessive weight, have approached the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court's order which has upheld the airlines' decision.
Filing the petition through their advocate Arvind Shrama, the air hostesses alleged that the High Court dismissed their plea without going into the core issue involved in the case.
The High Court on June 4, had dismissed their petition saying that there was no unreasonableness or arbitrariness in the airlines' decision.
"Grace and concessions are not matters of legal right. They are matters of policy and we do not find any illegality in the decision," the court had said.
The High Court in its judgement had emphasised that the job of air hostess being "strenuous" in nature one needed to be physically fit.
"The air crew has to be athletic to deal with any emergency and for that he or she has to be in good shape. That is the reason that not only maximum limit but minimum weight limits are also prescribed," the Court had said, adding that neither anorexic nor abysmally fat people are fit for the job.
"The nature of work of air hostesses is strenuous in nature and the weight check is relevant in relation to their physical fitness," the Bench said.
10/09/09 Press Trust Of India/Hindustan Times

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Categories: Air India Domestic Sep 2008, NACIL Sep 2008