Weight discrimination OK'd for Indian air hostesses

Posted By Alex Ely Friday, June 6, 2008 - 5:00 PM Share

In what is perhaps the most egregious case of job discrimination the world has ever seen, an Indian high court ruled today that Air India, the state-owned airline, could deny employment to would-be female flight attendants if they were overweight.

The Times reports:

In the highly competitive industry of civil aviation, the company has to focus on the personality of its employees," the ruling said. "By the very nature of their jobs, their overall physical personality is one of the primary considerations."

Another reason for the ruling, according to the court, was the link between weight, athleticism, and the ability to handle emergency situations. While this news did ignite an uncanny barrage of puns and wisecracks in news headlines -- "Air hostesses suffer heavy defeat in India," "India grounds 'fat' air hostesses," "You're too fat to fly, court tells hostesses" -- I think this has to rank up there as one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard.

How would it be enforced? Is it like boxing where the would-be flight attendents arrive for a weigh-in, then if they don't make the cut, they spit into a cup and jog around the terminal a few times? Will Air India start sponsoring workshops that encourage anorexia? Instead of passing through security to board their flights, will the hostesses have to step on a scale in the concourse?

As an interesting side note, this decision comes four years after Air India also told their female employees that acne was not allowed.

I wonder what the safety concerns were there.

EXPLORE:SOUTH ASIA, INDIA

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GRANDPAW7

9:01 PM ET

June 6, 2008

"In what is perhaps the most

"In what is perhaps the most egregious case of job discrimination the world has ever seen,"

Hmmm, I wonder if that statement is the most egregious case of hyperbole the world has ever seen.

As Bill Clinton would say, it depends on what you mean by overweight.

But to me the question of how much weight (pun intended) an prospective employer can put on physical attractiveness is a difficult one. For example, should a woman who goes to considerable lengths to make herself attractive, such as by exercise, diet, good grooming and dress, personal hygiene, etc. be entitled to have that considered when she applies for a job, particularly a job in which being attractive is good for business? Should woman who was born with less than good looks be discriminated against in jobs in which attractiveness is good for business?

If I am hiring a secretary, and a 200 pound unattractive woman has better skills than a slender good looker, can I hire the latter without breaking the law?

I confess I don't know what the answer is, or should be. But I can sympathize with the airline wanting attractive flight attendants. It's a fact of life that men, and I expect most women, prefer attractive women. They are good advertising. To what extent a company should be prohibited from taking advantage of that fact if hard to know.

JANUS

11:55 PM ET

June 7, 2008

Singapore Airlines has done this for years

This is hardly something new.

And as someone who has been served by one too many depressingly overweight grumpy Western airline attendants, I would like to see some similar anti-fat regulations here.

The best part? Now we can justify it based on being green and lowering fuel consumption!

TIBERIU

12:55 PM ET

October 1, 2008

discrimination

Well, I do not with to be percieved as person that discriminates, but some boundaries should be set to create margins for discrimination. This time I agree with the plane company: they do all in their power to maxymize the well being of their customers. This is like an alcohol rehab program: we accept only people that fit a certain profile.

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