Bald patches and grey hair banned in strict new Air India cabin crew guidelines
Crew have been given new guidelines concerning hair, jewellery and other behaviours. Photo / 123rf
Air India cabin crew will be subject to strict new grooming policies according to a 40-page booklet given to staff in October.
After taking over Air India in January, Indian conglomerate Tata Group seem determined to improve the airline’s reputation through staff appearance.
The new rules were outlined in a 40-page booklet given to staff following a grooming policy meeting in October, according to The Hindustan Times.
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Rules allegedly must be followed on and off shift and many appear to ban signs of aging.
“Grey hair is not permitted. Grey hair must be regularly colored in [a] natural shade. Fashion colors and henna are not permitted,” the guidelines state.
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Women must avoid blonde hair, low buns and high top knots.
Male cabin crew members with receding hairlines are told to shave their heads, The Times reported.
“Crew with deep receding hairline and male balding patches must keep a clean shaved head/bald look. Head must be shaved daily. Crew cut is not permitted.”
Beards or stubble is also banned and “male crew must carry a shaving kit on every flight.”
Aside from wedding bands and bracelets that symbolise the Sikh faith, no other jewellery is allowed on men, The Hindustan Times reported.
These regulations are in addition to a policy Tata Group circulated earlier this year that required Air India cabin crew to have body mass index (BMI) and weight checks before flights.
The airline claimed the policy was a matter of safety as overweight crew could present a risk in emergency situations. However, the Air India cabin crew union argued against this, claiming the checks could impact the crew’s mental health and did not have medical professionals present, India Today reported.
In addition to appearance, The Hindustan Times state guidelines prohibit staff from posting about politics, religion or company problems online.
One Air India employee said staff has found the rules too strict.
“Some think it is required for building the image of the airline, but others see it to be a little too much,” they told The Hindustan Times.
