① Flight attendant fired due to weight
Cabin crew members of airlines are often concerned about their weight. Airlines that explicitly demand their crew to diet are not uncommon. In 2020, foreign media reported a story of a flight attendant who was fired due to her weight.
Ina Meliesa Hassim, who worked for Malaysia Airlines for 25 years, reported that she was fired from the company.
The female flight attendant was 5’3″ (160cm) tall and weighed 134.5 pounds (61kg). According to Malaysia Airlines’ regulations, if a flight attendant’s BMI (Body Mass Index) is outside the normal range, they can be fired.
Hassim was 1.54 pounds (0.7kg) over the standard weight of 134.5 pounds.
According to Malaysian labor law, she then filed a lawsuit for compensation for unfair dismissal.
Since October 2015, Malaysia Airlines has instructed its cabin crew to maintain a normal BMI to preserve the company’s brand image.
When the lawsuit was filed, Malaysia Airlines stated, “We gave the employee 18 months to lose weight and provided a weight management program with experts. However, the employee ignored these instructions and did not participate in the exercise schedule.
Hassim’s lawyer argued that Malaysia Airlines’ regulations are unusual compared to other airlines and that weight has little to do with flight safety.
However, the court sided with Malaysia Airlines. The court ruled, “The company provided the plaintiff with ample opportunity to comply with the company’s regulations, but she failed to do so.
The weight management program was applied to all flight attendants, so it does not appear discriminatory.
② Weight management at Hainan Airlines in China
China’s Hainan Airlines announced that if a flight attendant exceeds the weight limit, they will be prohibited from boarding the aircraft. The airline will give 30 days to lose weight, during which the flight attendant will be excluded from duties. The weight limit the airline sets is the height minus 110 cm (or 43.3 inches). A flight attendant who is 5’5″(165cm) should not weigh more than 121.3 pounds (55kg). The airline announced that the weight regulation effectively maintains the professional and attractive image of the flight attendants.
However, this announcement sparked a backlash among netizens. Local netizens reacted with comments such as “Are flight attendants participating in a beauty pageant?”, “What century are we living in?” and “The weight of a flight attendant is unimportant.” There was controversy over applying the weight regulation only to female flight attendants.
In response to the ongoing controversy, Hainan Airlines stated, “This regulation applies to all male and female employees, so it is not discriminatory.
The fundamental intention of this measure is to encourage healthy living habits among our employees.
③ Discrimination based on appearance and weight
Emirates Airlines, the largest airline in the Middle East, has been accused of discriminating against female flight attendants based on their appearance and weight. A flight attendant who worked for Emirates Airlines for nine years exposed this fact in an interview with Insider.
The flight attendant said, “Emirates checks the weight of its flight attendants regularly, and if they gain even a little weight, they face pay cuts. According to her, Emirates Airlines operates an ‘Appearance Management Program’ that monitors the appearance and weight of its flight attendants. She also mentioned that there are dedicated staff members who regularly check the weight of the flight attendants.
Another flight attendant also said, “The assessment of the Appearance Management Program is reported to HR. If there is no progress in dieting, you receive a warning and, depending on the situation, you can be punished with pay cuts.
If a flight attendant requests a uniform of a larger size than before, the company puts pressure on them about their weight. In such cases, they must immediately participate in the Appearance Management Program.
Most flight attendants working for Emirates Airlines reported that the airline is oppressive about their appearance and weight. Flight attendants had to have their weight checked every two weeks if they received a warning about their weight. If their weight exceeded the limit, they were removed from flights and faced continuous disadvantages such as pay cuts. Emirates Airlines has not made any specific comments on these controversies. The airline’s hiring conditions state that they require a “healthy BMI and a suitable physique for the necessary role.
By. Han Mia
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