Farewell to Air India ageing hostesses?

Air India’s flights have hit a rocky patch with words like CAG and Praful Patel figuring in household conversations daily. But the airline seems to have found a temporarily solution to all its problems.

Of all weaknesses the CAG report could find, the airline is concentrating on something else completely. Air India has decided that it’s the matronly air hostesses that are its Achilles’ heel and is demanding a makeover. The snappy aunties will be replaced by younger (err… that’s what Air India thinks 45-year-olds are) and better-dressed attendants. This has drawn praise from those who’ve faced the ire of a stern Air India stewardess in the past, and flak from most, considering that Air India has never really been, well, subtle before either. Remember when they openly fired air-hostesses for being too fat? Can hostesses be behind an airline’s failure?

The symbiotic relationship between air-hostesses and airlines has been understood for years. Airlines go out of their way to hire attractive and young air hostesses by the hordes. Has someone ever questioned whether they’re relevant to the airline’s status or ranking? No, but if one looks at two recent polls – one rating the most attractive air hostesses in the world, and another ranking the top ten airlines – the two have no less than four in common.

How much importance do airlines give to air hostesses?
The answer is – too much. There are numerous air hostess training institutes in India, out of which more than 13 in Delhi. One of the most important lessons they teach is grooming. The average requirement for a candidate to train at these institutes is “below 25 years of age with a minimum height of 157.5 centimetres. The weight should be in proportion to height. One must be unmarried.” Sounds like beauty contest requirements? Says an ex-air hostess, who quit due to the monumental requirements demanded by her job, “It is all about glamour. If you look good, any airline will hire you. You can literally see them drooling. The whole while that you’re on a flight, you can’t have one hair out of place. Chipped nail-polish is a no-no. Your grooming is checked before each flight. If out of place, they give you a warning letter. Smelling good is very important. Often, they have grooming coaches who check you in the middle of the flight, and they reprimand you in front of customers.”

An air hostess working with a leading airline adds, “They keep forcing us to get re-bonding or different haircuts. Your weight needs to be in check. You get three warning letters if you weigh more. After that, a gram extra, and they cut your salary.”

Airlines have also upped stakes in recent years by roping in well-known designers to dress up their crew. So while the Air Sahara crew wears silk saris by Ritu Beri, Kingfisher Airlines crew sport outfits by Manoviraj Khosla. Spice Jet collaborated with Yatan Ahluwalia, while Jet Airways had its uniforms designed by Ravi Bajaj.

Notice the world’s most attractive cabin crew*:
1. Virgin Atlantic
2. Singapore Airlines
3. Etihad
4. Emirates
5. Aer Lingus
6. Lufthansa
7. Cathay Pacific
8. TAP
9. KLM
10. Iberia

World’s best airlines**:
1. Qatar Airways
2. Singapore Airlines
3. Asiana Airlines
4. Cathay Pacific Airways
5. Thai Airways International
6. Etihad Airways
7. Air New Zealand
8. Qantas Airways
9. Turkish Airlines
10. Emirates

*Survey by Business Travel and Meetings Show
**2011 World Airline Awards

source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com