Fat air-hostesses out, but portly pursers fly

Mumbai: In the national airline, Air India, obesity is perfectly kosher for male pursers, some of whom even struggle to get their seat belts round their girth. But for air-hostesses, fat is unacceptable.
At Air India, only air-hostesses and women cabin crew members have to undergo the annual/biennial medical tests. If they flunk and tip the scales all the way to overweight, there is a chance that they might be grounded. Male pursers, no matter how stout, are not put through these routine medical checks. They do have to hop on to the weighing scales every six months, but without any danger of being deplaned.
An AI spokesperson, however, said that no cabin crew member, male or female, had ever been grounded solely for being overweight. “Grounding takes place when other health issues too come into focus,” he said. The pursers, however, are never probed for “other medical issues”. “It’s discriminatory to assume that only fat women could be unhealthy and not fat men,” said an air-hostess. “Of the 400 male pursers with Air India, 34 are grossly overweight but have never been put on ground duty.”
Indian Airlines and Alliance Air do not have different rules for the male and female flying staff.
08/03/08 Manju V/Times of India