Who will be grounded? Check Air India’s new fitness crackdown

New Delhi: Air India is set to introduce a Health and Fitness Compliance Policy for its cabin crew, under which crew members outside the prescribed weight range may face derostering and loss of pay. The new policy, effective from May 1, 2026, aims to promote healthy lifestyle standards among airline staff and ensure operational readiness.

BMI-based assessment for cabin crew

The policy uses Body Mass Index (BMI) to determine fitness compliance:

• Normal BMI (18–24.9): Acceptable and considered the desired range.
• Underweight (BMI <18): Permissible only if cleared through medical evaluation and functional assessment.
• Overweight (BMI 25–29.9): Acceptable subject to passing the functional assessment.
• Obese (BMI ≥30): Not acceptable, with immediate consequences including derostering and loss of pay.

Cabin crew found underweight or overweight will be derostered until they clear the functional assessment. If the assessment is not cleared within the stipulated time, they will be placed on loss of pay. Obese crew members are required to reach the acceptable BMI within a defined period, or face continued corrective action.

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Policy aims and implementation

Air India stated the policy is part of an interim compliance framework to familiarise staff with healthy weight standards before implementing enhanced fitness regulations. It will apply to both active flying staff and crew undergoing training.

“The launch aims to promote awareness of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and to prepare our cabin crew for the enhanced fitness standards coming into effect,” the airline said.

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Context and corporate background

Air India, acquired by the Tata Group in January 2022, has phased out most of its legacy staff over the past four years. The move to introduce a formal cabin crew health and fitness policy aligns with the airline’s broader strategy to modernise operations, improve service quality, and ensure safety compliance.

PTI