Air India proposes pay cut of crew if BMI not in range

{ RELEASES FITNESS POLICY

- Neha LM Tripathi

Air India cabin crew who fall outside prescribed weight limits can be pulled off flights without pay, subjected to unannounced BMI checks before or after duty, and required to clear functional fitness tests before being allowed to fly again, under a new health and fitness compliance policy that comes into effect on May 1, 2026.

The policy, which applies to all permanent and fixed-term contract cabin crew, introduces a graded corrective framework tied to body mass index (BMI) —ranging from medical evaluation and fitness assessments for those in the overweight category to immediate de-rostering and loss of pay for those classified as obese.

The airline cited fitness for professional duties as the basis for its new policy. “In addition to health improvement and welfare, the aim of this policy is to ensure that all cabin crew are in their best physical health to deliver on the expected performance standards. Crew members must take proactive measures to be within the specified normal BMI range... Consequences will apply for noncompliance to assessment timelines and repeated defaulters,” the airline states in its ‘Cabin Crew Health and Fitness Compliance Policy’ document.