[Phillippe M]

Indian Air fires 10 overweight flight attendants
Staff writers - AAP - January 06, 2009 07:50am

AN Indian airline has dismissed ten female flight attendants who were grounded for being overweight. The sackings came after the Air India cabin crew were warned about meeting minimum physical fitness standards and given sufficient time to lose weight, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

The flight attendants were also offered alternative ground assignments which they allegedly refused.

Delhi High Court last year upheld Air India's right to reassign overweight attendants, citing clauses in their contracts that barred them from flight duties if they put on too much weight.

The court had noted that the state-run airline needed fit attendants to compete with private rivals in India's fiercely competitive aviation market.

A lawyer for the sacked cabin crew said the dismissals were against the law as the case was being heard by India's Supreme Court.

“The action is illegal and against the natural justice. I will soon file an application in the Supreme Court against the (sacking) order,” lawyer Arvind Sharma said.

http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/...009000,00.html