Thursday, May 8, 2008, Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1, 1429    

SC orders PIA not to terminate over-weight crew

Islamabad—A three-member bench of the Supreme Court Wednesday said that cabin crew could not be dismissed on the basis of over- weight if the member of the crew was found fit in annual medical examination.
The bench headed by Justice Muhammad Nawaz Abbasi disposed of the petition of 73 cabin crew members and said this decision would not be applicable on crew members who would be more than age of 50 years.
The bench directed the administration of the Pakistan Airlines Authorities to review weight policy about cabin crew and give chance to crew members for their grooming process.
The counsel of PIA Shahid Anwar Bajwa apprised the court that all the cabin crew had already been given flights according to their category and without discrimination in accordance with the direction of the Supreme Court.
The management of the PIA apprised the Supreme Court that physically unfit, obese or unpresentable individuals are doing a great disservice not only to themselves but also contribute to harm the image of their organization.
According to report submitted by the counsel of PIA, Shahid Anwar Bajwa in the Supreme Court, all the cabin crew members were being treated indiscriminately and there was no discriminatory treatment at any level. About fitness of the cabin crew of the organization, he informed the court that cabin crew were considered as privileged employees as compared to the rest of the employees of the organization.
He also apprised the court that the PIA had introduced a uniform weight policy for crew members after consulting a number of foreign Airlines.
Sheikh Riaz-ul-Haq advocate representing staffers of the crew Naheed Azhar and Syed Asad Ali appeared before the court and apprised the bench about the compliance of the orders of the apex court.
The case was heard by the Supreme Court as suo-motu notice taken by the Chief Justice (Retd) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on the written application submitted by a number of cabin crew regarding discriminatory treatment by the PIA management.
In the statement, the management also apprised the court about health facilities being provided by the PIA to all cabin crew including training programme on PIA expense at all bases. The training programme covers communication skills training weight management, grooming improvement sessions besides facility of health clubs, the statement mentioned. The management has already provided a list of health clubs nominated by the PIA at Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar.
Deputy Attorney General Nahida Mehboob Elahi appeared before the court and endorsed the arguments given by Sheikh Riazul Haq and said that the administration of the PIA did not provide the copy of the report to her.—APP