Weight loss is often the most popular resolution for a new year. For hefty cabin crew at Pakistan International Airlines however, it will be a requirement for 2019.
PIA has sent crew an update to their weight standards and if they fail to meet the new rules they could be banned from flying out of the country.
According to a leaked internal document, the flag carrier of Pakistan expects overweight crew to drop as much as 30 pounds by July if they want to avoid being grounded from lucrative international flights. The uniform standards bulletin sets a weight loss requirement of 5 pounds per month.
“If any crew is found above 30 lbs. from the standard weight after January 31, 2019, they will be grounded and referred to Air Crew Medical Center for medical evaluation and treatment until the weight is reduced up to the desired standard. BMI,” the document reads.
The crews’ weight loss progress will be monitored by weigh-ins carried out at the airline’s crew bases.
Here’s a copy of the internal bulletin.
These new rules come just days after the airline fired 50 staff and crew who had submitted fake education documents for employment.
In 2017 Russia’s national airline, Aeroflot, gained global attention after grounding as many as 400 crew the airline deemed too “old, fat and ugly” from prestigious international routes. Two of those flight attendants sued the airline and won compensation for the wages they lost after being forced to work shorter domestic flights.
According to several reports from Pakistan media, PIA cabin crew also plan to challenge this new weight standard in court.
Unfortunately management doesn’t have consistency to implement their orders,