Why Air India can't go the extra mile by shedding a few inches of flab

Government-run organisations are not generally acclaimed for their fitness, metaphorically speaking or otherwise. Hence, the reported decision by Air India to ground its overweight cabin crew could well be part of a wider exercise by the beleaguered company to get rid of years of accumulated flab. The public sector airline could be merely starting its back-to-health initiative by targeting the most obvious excess pounds — those lugged around by its own on-board staff —with the exception of the charmingly portly and doublechinned Maharaja mascot, of course. Shedding of avoirdupois has long been seen as a way to improve efficiency as unwieldy frames — including human ones — do not lend themselves to manoeuvrability or speed. So, from elevators to aeroplanes, overall load factors, especially in confined spaces, cannot be ignored.

At a time when even baggage allowances are being pruned by airlines worldwide, this move by Air India is not surprising — passengers cannot be compulsorily trimmed by similar directives. However, a rapid deflation to a lean-and-mean look does not guarantee increased productivity either, particularly if customer interface is part of the job. So, Air India under its newly-appointed chief executive should proceed with caution. Crash diets do not suit airlines.