Indian airline fires 9 overweight crew members

MQAAord said:
Which is why my criteria [opinion] is based on performance of duties, not a number ;) So being too waifly underweight could be as much of a problem as being overweight! The inability to open an exit is disqualifying in my book, regardless of reason for the inability! I'm certainly NOT saying that all very thin people are weaklings, but that's why I use performance of duties and not a weight number.
Click to expand...

"Cupcakinator," why are you so smart and always the voice of reason? :D
 
kazoopilot said:
I know I may have the unpopular opinion here, but personally, I don't think it's right to fire someone for something beyond their control. As for the "professional appearance" argument, what exactly is unprofessional about being overweight?
Click to expand...

While I do agree it may be harsh, but it is not our culture. Controlling your weight is very much under ones control. Eat less than you burn. It is simple math. Even a pilot can figure if you eat 2000 caleries and burn 2500 you have 500 caleries that have to come from somewhere. I will have a diet Coke with that triple cheese burger and mega size fries.
 
WalterSobchak said:
While non reving I helped a FA lift a bag that weighed no more than 20 lbs. She was older I wondered how she would throw a door in an emergency?
Click to expand...

1. The only "doors" that need to be "thrown" are the overwing window exits on older airplanes. And EVERYONE has to demonstrate they can do it EVERY YEAR during recurrent. Additionally, it is generally accepted procedure that the ABPs sitting in the overwing exit rows are initially responsible for operating those exits. F/A positions in typical airliners preclude them from even getting to the overwing exits in a crash. They are primarily responsible for operating the doors/slides where they are seated.

2. F/As shouldn't be lifting ANYONE'S bags into the overhead. If you can't get it up there yourself, we'll gladly gatecheck it for you. I've seen too many F/As incur career ending injuries trying to lift bags into the overhead for passengers who can't do it themselves.

Qgar said:
Why Walter dear--are you having issues with older FAs again? :D
Click to expand...

Apparently.

I can throw a door (and lift the air stairs) better and quicker than some of the young'uns who are young enough to be my kid.

While we're on the topic of "fat," did it occur to anybody that "too thin" may make a person too weak to perform some necessary duties like lifting and pulling? Hmmmm.
Click to expand...

Once again...as Qgar knows, pilots and F/As are all required to demonstrate that they can fully operate all the different emergency exits on ALL models of aircraft they are qualified on.

dahhcon said:
On the subject of weight, what is the average weight used for a passenger, or is it still 170 lbs?
Click to expand...

Depends on the season. 170 is the generally accepted summer weight. Winter weights are heavier.
 
Doug Taylor said:
I'm sure I've injested plenty of genetic material from telling an occasional FA "Hey, if I tell my wife 'You pack it, you drag it!' there's no way I'm going to schlep your bag up the stairs, dear!" :)
Click to expand...

That's why I only drink from unopened bottles of water and the occasional can. If I want a cup of coffee, I get it myself or stand there and watch them pour it.
 
I thought the weights were 190 summer and 195 winter? That's what we use and I didn't think it varied carrier to carrier.
Most of our flying is in the Midwest though! :sarcasm: :)
 
Yup, they vary. If it's 190 and 195, that's a lot more realistic than a lot of airlines.

Of course, I commute so I ought to keep my mouth shut on a public forum about average passenger weights! :)

"Sorry bro, overweight! Try USAir!"
 
Doug Taylor said:
I wonder if there's a requirement that a crewmember be able to carry up 40 lbs up a airstair without assistance.

I'm getting a little bitter about some crewmembers expecting that I'm going to carry up their 100 lbs carry-ons up the airstairs, laden with crap they looted from the hotel, up the airstairs.

I'm sure I've injested plenty of genetic material from telling an occasional FA "Hey, if I tell my wife 'You pack it, you drag it!' there's no way I'm going to schlep your bag up the stairs, dear!" :)
Click to expand...

Doug you need a sticker for your flight kit:

"You pack it, You carry it"
 
US carriers need to extend this to FAs and Pilots. I see way too many pilots that are severely overweight. I'd also like to have a contract which states we must stay at hotels that have at least a mid-level fitness center (cardio and weights) and that we have enough time to use them. It won't happen. Mandating weight standards and access to fitness equipment would probably save companies millions in health care each year though.

I used to fly with a guy that worked for GE for a number of years. He told me that in their Louisville office they had a state of the art fitness center; weights, pool, cardio equipment. The thing that I thought was really cool though is they could work out at lunch leave their dirty clothes in their lockers, and that night they would be washed for them.
 
Qgar, far be it for me to to side with Walter here, but I'm guessing he was referring to 60+ year old FAs. We don't have any here that I can think of, but I know Mainline has some who are pushing 70.

Also, Mainline instituted a policy last year where if during recurrent an FA can't buckle into a jumpseat WITHOUT a seat belt extender they are pulled off line until such time they can. I have no idea if they actually were pulling people off line or not though.
 
JEP said:
Doug you need a sticker for your flight kit:

"You pack it, You carry it"
Click to expand...

Love it! :)

The danger is, is that a lot of airports in the EU you may use 'hard stands' where you're using stairs to load onto a bus to go to immigration.

If you throw your back out, which I've learned is far too easy to do, and you claim it's an OJI, nothing in your job scope says that you're required by duty to carry another crewmembers (often times overweight) bag. Then things can get really interesting as you try to claim it was a work related injury.

Naturally, as always, I'm probably full of dookie over the way I understand the issue, but forewarned is forearmed.

And you know what the suspiciously homo character on the cartoon "GI Joe" says, "Knowing is half the battle"
 
There are some other ones that are WAY funnier, but not exactly appropriate for this web site.

[YT]NoTx9ukBWXc[/YT]
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top