Air India CMD Rajiv Bansal encourages employees to be physically fit

Alertness & response-level of the personnel are tested round the clock: Bansal

Air India CMD Rajiv Bansal on Monday urged the airline's staff to be physically fit, saying it would make the organisation healthy.

Bansal took charge of the disinvestment-bound airline last month.

"Today, the company needs us more than ever before to give our best to it in body, mind and spirit. The purpose of workouts is to tighten the slack, toughen the body and polish the spirit. Let us give our best to keep ourselves fit and make the company, in turn, healthy," Bansal said in a message addressed to Air India employees.

Ever since, Bansal took over he has been initiating steps to improve the carrier's on-time performance and the airline crew has been told that there will be zero tolerance for delays on first flights of the day.

Measures are also being taken to cut costs, enhance passenger yields as well as improve customer satisfaction.

"In the airline industry, alertness and response-level of the personnel, especially those on the frontline, are tested round the clock.

"The frontline employees, who interact with customers on a regular basis, require to be not only physically fit and healthy but also have a presentable appearance and a pleasing demeanour," Bansal wrote.

Earlier this year, cracking the whip on its overweight cabin crew, Air India had temporarily removed 57 crew members from flying duty.