Air India to use BMI to decide crew pay, flights
Starting May 1, 2026, Air India will decide cabin crew pay and flight eligibility based on their body mass index (BMI) and fitness tests.
If crew members don't meet the set standards, they could lose out on flights (and pay).
Here's how it works
Crew members with a "normal" BMI (18 to 24.9) are good to go.
If you're underweight or overweight, you might still fly after a health check but risk losing pay if requirements aren't met.
Obese crew members (BMI 30 or above) are immediately de-rostered and placed on loss of pay; they must undergo specified medical tests within seven days and must also achieve an acceptable BMI and clear a functional assessment before resuming flying.
Safety 1st, say airline officials
The airline says random BMI checks will help make sure staff can handle emergencies and keep up with safety standards.
They're following World Health Organization guidelines here.
Critics aren't happy about this
Not everyone's on board (critics say BMI doesn't always reflect real fitness since it ignores things like muscle mass).
Critics say BMI is an imperfect measure that can misclassify individuals and have raised concerns about fairness and crew welfare.