Air India is introducing a new fitness policy for its cabin crew that ties flight eligibility directly to weight, using Body Mass Index (BMI) as the primary metric. The policy takes effect May 1, 2026.
Air India To Weigh Flight Attendants, Pull Some From Duty Without Pay
Under the new “Cabin Crew Health and Fitness Compliance Policy,” Air India will classify flight attendants into four BMI categories:
- Underweight: BMI below 18
- Normal: BMI 18–24.9
- Overweight: BMI 25–29.9
- Obese: BMI 30+
Crew members who fall outside the “normal” range will face additional scrutiny and, in some cases, removal from flying duties. As Air India explains:
“We have introduced a policy promoting awareness around healthy lifestyles and providing guidance on maintaining appropriate fitness levels. It is intended to support crew members in sustaining long-term health while being fully prepared for the operational demands of their role, and is in line with World Health Organization (WHO) BMI classifications.”
Air India added that “fitness is intrinsically linked to safety and performance. Ensuring that cabin crew are physically capable of handling critical onboard situations is a key priority for the airline.”
Critics of the policy suggest it is a way for Air India to shed part of its existing workforce and hire younger, more attractive flight attendants as it tries to recast itself as a premium carrier.
What Happens If Crew Fall Outside The Range
Per Air India:
- Underweight or overweight crew may continue working only after passing medical and functional assessments
- If they fail those assessments, they will be removed from the roster and placed on unpaid leave until cleared
- Obese crew (BMI ≥30) will be immediately removed from duty and placed on unpaid leave
Crew members who do not meet the required standards will be given a limited window to return to the acceptable BMI range, though it is not clear how long.
CONCLUSION
Starting May 1, Air India will formally link cabin crew eligibility to BMI, with the possibility of being pulled from flights and losing pay for those who fall outside prescribed ranges. People do come in different shapes and sizes and BMI is a fairly crude indicator of physical fitness, but a tolerance of up to 30 is a fairly wide range.
image: Air India // hat tip: View From The Wing
Love it. Can we do this for customers too?
Less pushin’ for the cushin’?
Love it. I wished they would do this for all airlines around the world for their employees. It would save some fuel for the company and it would make for a more comfortable flying experience at least for my eyes.
Well, judging from that phoot they’re on the right track!
Applause
What a shame. “In 2023, the American Medical Association released a statement emphasizing that BMI is “an imperfect way to measure body fat in multiple groups given that it does not account for differences across race/ethnic groups, sexes, genders, and age-span.””
But isn’t that why there is such a wide allowable range?
As a general rule, though, it’s still valid, even though it definitely doesn’t work for everyone. My BMI was 20 when I was working, and someone once asked me if I had an eating disorder. It’s now 26, which is officially overweight, but I’m definitely not fat. Go figure. If you meet someone with a BMI of 15, or 57, you won’t be fooled by the number…
Matthew, was there some pun intended with “30 is a fairly wide range”?
Can we do this for australian and American crews, wouldnt have anyone left to work hahaha
I love how this article comes right after the LUV article about denying a person of size 1 seat.