Too heavy to fly

A-I Director (Public Relations) Jitendra Bhargava denied gender bias but was unable to answer why overweight pursers were allowed to fly. ‘‘Only one air hostess has been given ground assignment as she is 40 kg excess,’’ he said.

One of A-I’s grounded air hostesses, Jennifer Chavan, had moved the Bombay High Court, accusing the management of flouting its own agreements regarding weight checks. The judges ordered A-I to let her fly after she attains the required weight.

A senior official admitted: ‘‘About 80 per cent of cabin crew are overweight between 2-30 kg but not all are grounded.’’ He said in 1989, A-I had signed a pact with the Air India Cabin Crew Association under which anyone found overweight would be given three months time and gym facilities to get back into shape.

If there was still no weight reduction, the crew member was to be given Quick Turnaround Flights for three months. If there was still no progress, A-I, union and medical department would decide on the course of action.

Given none of the options, Chavan also submitted to the HC an official list of some 52 flight pursers who were grossly overweight, according to A-I’s own doctors, and are still flying.