Indian Airlines said Friday justice had been done after a court ruled that the state-run domestic carrier had done no wrong by grounding overweight air hostesses last year.
A court said there was no merit in the case brought by several hostesses who contended that being grounded for being heavy was unreasonable and demeaning.
"It's a question of justice being done - that's all," Ashok Sharma, an airline spokesman, told AFP. "There are some rules and regulations that have to be abided by." The women were hired on the condition that they maintain their weight within certain limits prescribed by the company's weight charts, the court said. Sharma said the regulations required a 165-centimetre (5 foot, 6 inch) woman over age 45 must keep her weight between 55 and 64.6 kilos.
The lead petitioner, long-time air hostess Sheela Joshi, was grounded for hitting approximately 69 kilos (152 pounds). "If the air hostesses are asked to battle their bulge, control their girth and keep at desired level the affluence of their body weight as per the norms, it is not understood how it is in any way unfair, unreasonable and insulting," Justice Rekha Sharma said in the ruling.
The justice advised the women to keep trying to lose weight.
"If by perseverance the snails could reach the ark, why can't these worthy ladies stand on and turn the scale?" he said. The weight chart is not the only restriction faced by the company's in-flight staff. According to court documents, getting married before a time period specified in the contract and wearing glasses are also no-nos.