Mumbai: The civil aviation ministry's move to cap the upper age limit for Air India cabin crew at 35 years is impractical and fraught with legal complications, airline's crew and lawyers representing them have said.
This is because about 70% of the permanent cabin crew are over 35 years. Also the airline will have to serve a legal notice before making any change in service conditions, they added.
Two weeks ago civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapati Raju gave a 26-point agenda to the airline to boost its performance in wake of competition. One of them is keeping age limit of cabin crew young to improve service standards and reduce delays. The minister suggested older crew members could be given ground duties.
However, crew members say the move is impractical and could lead to curtailing of operations if it is implemented immediately.
Air India has 3,400 cabin crew, 800 of whom are employees on contractual basis. The 800 contract employees are all less than 35 years of age. Of the 2,600 permanent employees - 800 cabin crew are more than 50 years of age, 500 are between 40-45 years of age and 1300 are below 40 years of age.
27/08/14 Aneesh Phadnis & Sharmistha Mukherjee/Business Standard
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This is because about 70% of the permanent cabin crew are over 35 years. Also the airline will have to serve a legal notice before making any change in service conditions, they added.
Two weeks ago civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapati Raju gave a 26-point agenda to the airline to boost its performance in wake of competition. One of them is keeping age limit of cabin crew young to improve service standards and reduce delays. The minister suggested older crew members could be given ground duties.
However, crew members say the move is impractical and could lead to curtailing of operations if it is implemented immediately.
Air India has 3,400 cabin crew, 800 of whom are employees on contractual basis. The 800 contract employees are all less than 35 years of age. Of the 2,600 permanent employees - 800 cabin crew are more than 50 years of age, 500 are between 40-45 years of age and 1300 are below 40 years of age.
27/08/14 Aneesh Phadnis & Sharmistha Mukherjee/Business Standard
