DGCA lays down fresh guidelines for cabin crew fitness

Aviation regulator DGCA today laid down fresh guidelines to assess the fitness of cabin crew and made it mandatory for them to undergo medical examination on a periodic basis.
Under the new rules, each cabin crew would have to undergo medical tests once every four years till the age of 40 years, once in two years till 50 and annually for those above 50.
The Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) on medical fitness for stewards and air hostesses also prescribe the requirement of body mass index (BMI) and "rules for disposal" of high BMI cases relating to overweight and obese cabin crew.

The guidelines come in the wake of a few cases filed by cabin crew of some airlines opposing being taken off flight duties due to obesity.
Based on the periodic medical reports, the cabin crew would have to be categorised by designated doctors as 'fit', 'temporary unfit' and 'permanent unfit'.
The rules give guidelines for "disposal" of cases of temporarily or permanently unfit cabin crew and also allow an appellate mechanism in cases of any grievance that the cabin may have against medical examination.